Gene Hammett

American songwriter, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist. Born in Brookline, Massachusetts, Febuary 21, 1912. Died on January 3, 1964 (51 years old) Los Angeles, California. Hammett at 5 was taking fiddle lessons from his father. At 14, he made his first arrangement for his father's orchestra. Later, he would be proficient in saxophone, clarinet, trumpet and piano as well as the violin. He played saxophone as a freshman at Darthmouth in 1929, was leader of the Barbary Coast Orchestra for three years and active with other musical groups while in college. After graduating with a degree in music, he formed his own orchestra and in 1937 went with Frank Dailey's orchestra as a music arranger. He spent ten years with Vaughn Monroe, traveling with them until that orchestra was disbanded. Together they composed a few songs together as well as arranging songs for the band. Hammett also directed the orchestra on the TV Camel Show. He composed "That's All Brother", which Tony Pastor recorded. He was also affiliated with Bobby Day and his orchestra.