Paul Samuel Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was an American bandleader, composer, orchestral director and violinist.Leader of one of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s, Whiteman produced recordings that were immensely successful, and press notices often referred to him as the "King of Jazz". Using a large ensemble and exploring many styles of music, Whiteman is perhaps best known for his blending of symphonic music and jazz, as typified by his 1924 commissioning and debut of George Gershwin's jazz-influenced "Rhapsody in Blue". Later, Whiteman's work on Symphonic Jazz influenced many jazz musicians either way - directly or indirectly - as diverse as Miles Davis, Gil Evans, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Wynton Marsalis and other modern artists. Whiteman recorded many jazz and pop standards during his career, including "Wang Wang Blues", "Mississippi Mud", "Rhapsody in Blue", "Wonderful One", "Hot Lips (He's Got Hot Lips When He Plays Jazz)", "Mississippi Suite", and "Grand Canyon Suite". His popularity faded in the swing music era of the 1930s, and by the 1940s Whiteman was semi-retired from music.Whiteman's place in the history of early jazz is somewhat controversial. Detractors suggest that Whiteman's ornately-orchestrated music was jazz in name only (lacking the genre's improvisational and emotional depth), and co-opted the innovations of black musicians. Defenders note that Whiteman's fondness for jazz was genuine (he worked with black musicians as much as was feasible during an era of racial segregation), that his bands included many of the era's most esteemed white jazz musicians, and argue that Whiteman's groups handled jazz admirably as part of a larger repertoire. In his autobiography, Duke Ellington declared, "Paul Whiteman was known as the King of Jazz, and no one as yet has come near carrying that title with more certainty and dignity."
He was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6157 Hollywood Boulevard and for Radio at 1601 Vine Street in Hollywood, California.
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His father, Dr. Wilburforce Whiteman, was a prominent musician and music teacher in the Denver, Colorado area. His students included future big-band legend Jimmie Lunceford. He was one of the founders of the Denver Symphony Orchestra now the Colorado Philharmonic Orchestra.
Composer Richard Rodgers originally wrote The Carousel Waltz especially for Whiteman's orchestra. Whiteman never used it, so Rodgers inserted it into the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel.
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Inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1993.
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A close friend of George Gershwin. Whiteman, with Gershwin at the piano, introduced Rhapsody in Blue to the public in 1924 and recorded it later that same year. Whiteman appeared as himself in Gershwin's film biography Rhapsody in Blue (1945) and conducted numerous Gershwin tribute concerts over the years.
Unlike many of his contemporaries, he always kept an open, and enthusiastic, mind about what was going on in the music world. In 1966, he admitted that The Beatles were "turning out some lovely stuff," and that "were I a young man getting started in the music business these days, I'd probably grow my hair long and form a rock 'n' roll band."
Video short performer: "Do Wacko Do", "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"
Dirt
2008/I
Documentary performer: "Song of India"
Way Down Low
2007
"Gloomy Sunday"
Alex & Emma
2003
performer: "Charleston"
The Cat's Meow
2001
performer: "Charleston" 1923, "Linger A While" 1922, "Hot Lips" 1922 - as Paul Whitman / performer: "Stumbling" 1922, "Say It With Music" 1921, "Somebody Loves Me" 1924
Jeepers Creepers
2001
performer: "Jeepers Creepers"
The Celluloid Closet
1995
Documentary performer: "Hot Lips"
The Color Purple
1985
performer: "Hot Lips"
The Magic of David Copperfield II
1979
TV Special writer: "Rhapsody In Blue"
Agatha
1979
music: "My Wonderful One"
All Night Long
1962
writer: "I Never Knew I Could Love Anybody Like I'm Loving You"
The Three Faces of Eve
1957
"I Never Knew I Could Love Anybody Like I'm Loving You", uncredited
The Chump Champ
1950
Short music: "Wonderful One"
Julia Misbehaves
1948
music: "Wonderful One" - uncredited
Little 'Tinker
1948
Short music: "Wonderful One"
That's My Man
1947
music: "Wonderful One" - uncredited
Murder in the Music Hall
1946
music: " My Wonderful One"
Rhapsody in Blue
1945
performer: "Rhapsody in Blue", "Blue Monday Blues" - uncredited
Atlantic City
1944
"ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON" / performer: "I AIN'T GOT NOBODY MUCH AND NOBODY CARES FOR ME"
$1.9 Million
