Pete Rugolo (December 25, 1915 - October 16, 2011) was a Sicilian-born jazz… Read Full Bio ↴Pete Rugolo (December 25, 1915 - October 16, 2011) was a Sicilian-born jazz composer and arranger.
He was born in San Piero Patti, Sicily. His family emigrated to the United States in 1920 and settled in Santa Rosa, California. He started his musical career playing the baritone, like his father, but he quickly branched out into other instruments, notably the French horn and the piano. He received a bachelor's degree from San Francisco State College, and then studied composition with Darius Milhaud at Mills College in Oakland, California.
After he graduated, he was hired as an arranger and composer by guitarist and bandleader Johnny Richards. He spent World War II playing with Paul Desmond in an army band.
After WWII Rugolo went to work for Stan Kenton who headed one of the most progressive big bands of the time. Rugolo provided arrangements and original compositions that drew on his knowledge of 20th century music, sometimes blurring the boundaries between the ballroom and the concert hall.
While Rugolo continued to work occasionally with Kenton in the 1950s, he spent more time creating arrangements for pop vocalists, including June Christy, Peggy Lee and the Four Freshmen. During this period he also worked for a while on musicals at MGM, and served as an A&R director for Mercury Records in the late 1950s. Among his many albums were Adventures In Rhythm, Introducing Pete Rugolo, Rugolomania, Reeds In Hi-Fi and Music For Hi-Fi Bugs.
He was born in San Piero Patti, Sicily. His family emigrated to the United States in 1920 and settled in Santa Rosa, California. He started his musical career playing the baritone, like his father, but he quickly branched out into other instruments, notably the French horn and the piano. He received a bachelor's degree from San Francisco State College, and then studied composition with Darius Milhaud at Mills College in Oakland, California.
After he graduated, he was hired as an arranger and composer by guitarist and bandleader Johnny Richards. He spent World War II playing with Paul Desmond in an army band.
After WWII Rugolo went to work for Stan Kenton who headed one of the most progressive big bands of the time. Rugolo provided arrangements and original compositions that drew on his knowledge of 20th century music, sometimes blurring the boundaries between the ballroom and the concert hall.
While Rugolo continued to work occasionally with Kenton in the 1950s, he spent more time creating arrangements for pop vocalists, including June Christy, Peggy Lee and the Four Freshmen. During this period he also worked for a while on musicals at MGM, and served as an A&R director for Mercury Records in the late 1950s. Among his many albums were Adventures In Rhythm, Introducing Pete Rugolo, Rugolomania, Reeds In Hi-Fi and Music For Hi-Fi Bugs.
Rugolo Meets Shearing
Pete Rugolo Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Pete Rugolo:
Dream Of You You stepped out of a dream You are too wonderful to…
Frosty The Snowman Frosty the snowman was a jolly happy soul, With a corncob…
In A Sentimental Mood In A Sentimental Mood I can see the stars come…
In a Tonal Mood In A Sentimental Mood I can see the stars come…
Laura You know the feeling of something half remembered Of somethi…
Little White Lies The moon was all aglow But heaven was in your eyes The…
Once In a While Once in a while will you try to give One little…
Oscar and Pete Blues They're a sad thing, They're a bad thing, The blues, When th…
Oscar And Pete's Blues They're a sad thing, They're a bad thing, The blues, When th…
These Foolish Things Oh! Will you never let me be? Oh! Will you never…
When You're Smiling I saw a blind man, He was a kind man, Helping a…
When Your Smiling I saw a blind man, He was a kind man, Helping a…
You Are Too Beautiful You are too beautiful, my dear, to be true And I…
You Stepped Out Of A Dream You stepped out of a dream You are too wonderful to…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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