Bobby Lee Trammell born 31 January 1934

Bobby Lee Trammell (January 31, 1934 – February 20, 2008) was an American rockabilly singer and politician.

The rock'n'roll music of the 1950s encouraged exhibitionism but few could top Bobby Lee Trammell's performances. He was too eccentric for mass acceptance but singles such as "Shirley Lee" and "You Mostest Girl" are highly sought by collectors.

Trammell was born on a cotton farm near Jonesboro, Arkansas to Wiley and Mae Trammell, who were cotton farmers. Wiley played fiddle and Mae was an organist at a local church; in addition to these influences, Trammell also listened to the Grand Ole Opry and attended services at the local Pentecostal church, where gospel music was sung.

As a high schooler, Trammell played country music, and when Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash toured in Trammell's area in the middle of the 1950s, Perkins invited him to sing a song and told him to talk to Sam Phillips, owner of Sun Records. The meeting came to nothing, but Trammell moved to Long Beach, California soon after in hopes of landing a recording contract. While in California, he took a job in a Ford manufacturing plant. 

He saw Bobby Bare play at a carnival and convinced Bare to let him come on stage for a few songs. Lefty Frizzell, who was in attendance at the fair, asked him to open a show at the Jubilee Ballroom, a venue in Baldwin Park, California. Trammell soon was performing there regularly, and won a reputation for Elvis Presley-like gyrations and wildness on stage that occasionally caused controversy. Trammell said: "I was much wilder than Jerry Lee Lewis or Little Richard".

Manager/record label owner Fabor Robison signed Trammell to a contract, and he released his first single, containing the self-penned tunes "Shirley Lee" and "I Sure Do Love You, Baby". The recordings included session musicians James Burton on guitar and James Kirkland on bass. The single sold well and was picked up for national distribution by ABC/Paramount. The song never hit the national charts, but may have sold as many as 250,000 copies. Ricky Nelson covered "Shirley Lee" soon after.

                               

Trammell's career then went through a series of mishaps. He auditioned for The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, but was not offered a spot. Ricky Nelson had expressed interest in looking at more of Trammell's work, but Trammell did not take the offer 
seriously. During the recording of his second single, "You Mostest Girl", he was backed by an orchestra and chorus, and he nearly quit his contract over the difficult recording session. Both this single and its follow-up, "My Susie J - My Susie Jane", failed to chart, and by the end of the 1950s, Trammell was performing strictly local dates in California. He staged a protest on the top of a broadcast tower in Los Angeles, against a radio station's refusal to play his record, but when the structure began to collapse, he had to be rescued by local authorities, and was barred from performing in the state.

After returning to Arkansas, Trammell sparred with Jerry Lee Lewis before a gig and destroyed Lewis's piano. After stories of Trammell's misbehavior made the rounds among promoters, he was effectively blackballed as a public performer everywhere.

Trammell continued recording for small local labels, but his reputation prevented him from getting much radio airplay. He self-distributed the records from his car in the 1960s. He was offered licensing contracts with Warner Bros. Records and others, but he refused them; he recorded for Sims Records through the end of the 1960s. In the 1970s, he played country music. In 1977 he finally recorded for Sun (International) 21 years after walking away from Sam Phillips. In 1984 Trammell performed on a rockabilly festival at Eindhoven, Holland. Wanting to outshine the other performers, he wore a Superman outfit but when he jumped on a piano, he lost his balance and broke his wrist.

Outside of performing Trammell was a public-spirited man. He became a Democratic politician and was elected to the Arkansas House Of Representatives in 1997 where he served until 2002. He unsuccessfully sought a State Senate seat in 2002, losing to Jerry Bookout. His political friends asked him to perform but he thought it unwise as his other self might take over and ruin his new career.

He died of natural causes at his home in Jonesboro, Arkansas on February 20, 2008.

(Edited from Wikipedia & The Independent)

Tammy Grimes born 30 January 1934

Tammy Lee Grimes (January 30, 1934 – October 30, 2016) was a vetran American actress and singer with a long list of credits in theatre, film, and television. For purposes of musical and recording work, her primary efforts were appearances on a series of cast albums, notably The Unsinkable Molly Brown, which preserves her Tony Award-winning performance, and many children's and audio book recordings.

Often thought to be British, Grimes was in fact an American who owed her accent to her birth into a prominent New England family, though the unique husky timbre of her voice was her own. Her father managed a country club, and she was a debutante who came out into Boston society at age 17. She wanted to become an actress, however, and studied drama at Stephens College in Missouri, then went to New York, where she continued her training at the Neighbourhood Playhouse School of the Theatre.

She first stepped on a Broadway stage as a replacement for Kim Stanley in the starring role in the drama Bus Stop in 1955. An early television appearance came in "The Bride Cried," an episode of The United States Steel Hour, on August 17, 1955. She got her first chance to display her musical abilities in the off-Broadway show The Littlest Revue (1956), which ran 32 performances and had a cast album released by Epic Records. 

The Littlest Revue was still running when she appeared in the television musical Holiday on NBC on June 9, 1956. That August, she married Canadian actor Christopher Plummer. 

Their daughter, Amanda Plummer, was born March 23, 1957. Like both of her parents, she went on to become a Tony Award-winning performer. Grimes divorced Christopher Plummer in April 1960. She was later married to actor Jeremy Slade and to musician Richard Bell.

Grimes was part of The Amazing Adele, a Broadway-bound musical that closed out of town in December 1956. She returned to television in other original musicals. Noël Coward personally cast her in his play Look After Lulu (1959), which marked her Broadway debut in a role she originated. It ran only five weeks, but she won a Theatre World award for her performance. 

                              

She continued to appear on television up to the end of the decade, but her greatest success came with her casting in the title role of Meredith Willson's follow-up to his Broadway hit The Music Man, The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1960). 

The show ran 532 performances, and Grimes won the Tony Award for supporting or featured actress in a musical. The Unsinkable Molly Brown was recorded by Capitol Records for a cast album that reached the Top Ten and remained in the charts almost a year.

The recognition Grimes achieved with The Unsinkable Molly Brown translated into more Broadway stage work and guest appearances on TV series throughout the early to mid 1960’s. While on the West Coast she appeared in her first motion picture, Three Bites of the Apple, which opened in May 1967, and in a 1967 Los Angeles stage production of the revue The Decline and Fall of the Entire World as Seen Through the Eyes of Cole Porter. 

Then she returned to New York and to Broadway in the play The Only Game in Town (1968). The following year, she appeared in a revival of Noël Coward's play Private Lives that won her a second Tony Award for actress in a drama, making her one of the few performers to win Tonys in both musical and dramatic categories.

By 1970, Grimes, in her mid-thirties, was established as a versatile actress, perhaps most at home on-stage, but also a popular choice for character parts on television and in films. During the '70s, she returned to Broadway for revues and plays.Her notable feature films included Play It as It Lays (1972), Somebody Killed Her Husband (1978), and The Runner Stumbles (1979).

During the 80’s Grimes had her third major triumph on the Broadway musical stage with an adaptation of the 1933 film 42nd Street. Her other New York theatrical appearances included the off-Broadway musical Sunset in 1983; the 1985 play Waltz of the Toreadors; the off-Broadway musical Mademoiselle Colombe (1987); and a one-woman show, Tammy Grimes: A Concert in Words and Music (1988). She also appeared regularly in feature films during the decade -- Can't Stop the Music (1980), No Big Deal (1983), America (1986), Mr. North (1988), and Slaves of New York (1989).

She worked less frequently in the '90s, though she still appeared in several feature films but her distinctive voice had meanwhile brought her a whole new career recording audio books in the late '80s and '90s, especially those for children and young adults.

Tammy Grimes died on October 30, 2016, in Englewood, New Jersey, aged 82 from undisclosed causes.  (Mainly edited from AllMusic)

Tammy Grimes appears on "The Hollywood Palace" in 1966, performing "Feeling Good" from the Broadway musical "The Roar of the Greasepaint---The Smell of the Crowd" by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley.

Bobby Scott born 29 January 1937

Robert William Scott (January 29, 1937 – November 5, 1990) was a prominent American jazz pianist, singer, composer, arranger, teacher and record producer from the 1950s through the late '80s.

Scott was born in Mount Pleasant, New York, and was a child prodigy. He became a pianist, vibraphonist, and singer, and could also play the accordion, cello, clarinet, and double bass. He studied

under Edvard Moritz at the La Follette School of Music at the age of eight, and was working professionally at 11.

In 1952 he began touring with Louis Prima, and also toured and performed with Gene Krupa, Lester Young, and Tony Scott in the 1950's. When Bobby was 16 he started recording for several record labels like, Bethlehem, Savoy, Atlantic and ABC, and in 1956 had a US Top 20 hit with "Chain Gang" (not the Sam Cooke version),written by Sol Quasha and Hank Yakus. It peaked att #13 and sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.

                                

In the late 50s, Scott worked at the swinging Cafe Bohemia in Greenwich Village, New York City. He also appeared at the Great South Bay Jazz Festival in 1958 and the New Haven Festival of Arts in 1959. Both of these festivals are still bringing to their stages new and upcoming musical talents twenty-four years later. Never satisfied with his musical endeavours, Bobby returned to study with Edvard Moritz. He then became a teacher of theory and harmony.

Bobby left performing for composing at the dawn of the 60s and stayed away for many years before returning with more tasty music. He was a good pianist, effective vocalist and played the vibraphone to perfection.

In 1960, Bobby Scott wrote the title theme for Shelagh Delaney's play "A Taste Of Honey", and the song was made famous by pianist Martin Denny. Being transformed, the instrumental tune was given lyrics for Tony Bennett to sing by Ric Marlow. The Beatles were so taken by the combination, they included "A Taste of Honey" on their first UK album. Bobby's big hit won a Grammy in 1962. Then, 3 years later, Herb Alpert took the song to even greater heights winning three more Grammys with their US Top 10 hit.

At the same time that Bobby was working with Dick Haymes, he was also a pianist, arranger and record producer for Mercury Records. It was during this time that he started a very close working relationship with Quincy Jones. Bobby played piano on several of Jones' Mercury albums. They remained great friends and musical cohorts for the rest of Bobby stunted life.

By 1964 Bobby had recorded 15 LPS in total for Bethlehem, Verve, Atlantic and Mercury. All but one did very respectable business in the record shops. The albums showed the talents of Bobby Scott, both as a musician and a wonderful singer. As a producer, Scott supervised sessions for several important artists such as Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Bobby Darin, Harry Belafonte and Sarah Vaughan.

"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" was composed by Bobby Scott and the lyrics were written by Bob Russell. The Hollies recorded this tune a year before it was a huge hit for Neil Diamond in 1970. Eighteen years later the Hollies once again sang this tune when it was featured in a very successful UK television commercial for Miller Lite Lager.

Also, at the same time Scott's compositions were turning up in the movies. Joe Butler sang "Where Are You Going?" in the film "Joe"; and "Slaves" was performed by Dionne Warwick in the movie by the same name. Scott also composed incidental music for the play "Dinny And The Witches", and several pieces for harp and string 
trios, including "The Giacometti Variations", so-called because it was partly used as a radio advertisement for the Giacometti Exhibition held at the New York Museum of Modern Art. He also composed the music for the film "Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow?" during this time.

During the 1980s he composed music for classical guitar, harp, and piano. He also arranged for jazz and easy listening musicians such as Les and Larry Elgart.  Twenty-three years after he had met Quincy Jones, in 1986, Bobby was asked to accompanied Tania Vega and John Lee Hooker on Jones's soundtrack music for the film The Color Purple. With all of the respect Bobby had for Quincy, he was very honored to be part of such a monumental film.

His final album, the Nat King Cole tribute For Sentimental Reasons, was recorded in 1989 and released in 1990, the same year that Scott died of lung cancer at Mount Sinai Hospital. He was 53 years old.

(Edited mainly from a Dick Haymes Society Newsletter by Susan Calters)

Doc Pomus born 27 January 1925

Jerome Solon Felder (June 27, 1925 – March 14, 1991), known as Doc Pomus, was an American blues singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lyricist of many rock and roll hits.

Born Jerome Solon Felder in 1925 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York, he was the son of Jewish immigrants. Felder became a fan of the blues after hearing a Big Joe Turner record. Having had polio as a boy, he walked with the help of crutches. Later, due to post-polio syndrome, exacerbated by an accident, Felder eventually relied on a wheelchair. His brother is New York attorney Raoul Felder.

Using the stage name "Doc Pomus", teenager Felder began performing as a blues singer. His stage name was not inspired by anyone in particular; he just thought it sounded better for a blues singer than the name Jerry Felder. 
Pomus stated that more often than not, he was the only Caucasian in the clubs, but that as a Jew and a polio victim, he felt a special "underdog" kinship with African Americans, while in turn the audiences both respected his courage and were impressed with his talent. Gigging at various clubs in and around New York City, Pomus often performed with the likes of Milt Jackson, Mickey Baker and King Curtis. Pomus recorded approximately 40 sides as a singer in the '40s and '50s for record companies such as Chess, Apollo, Gotham and others.

                              

In the early 1950s, Pomus started writing magazine articles as well as songwriting for artists such as Lavern Baker, Ruth Brown, Ray Charles and Big Joe Turner to earn more money to support a family, after he had married Willi Burke, a Broadway actress. His 
first big songwriting break came when the Coasters had a hit with his song "Young Blood", though the tune had been radically rewritten by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Still, Pomus had co-credit as author, and he soon received a royalty check for $2,500 (US$22,758 in 2019 dollars), which convinced him that songwriting was a career direction worth pursuing. By 1957, Pomus had given up performing for full-time songwriting.

Doc with Duke Ellington

He collaborated with pianist Mort Shuman, whom he met when Shuman was dating Pomus's younger cousin, to write for Hill & Range Music Co./Rumbalero Music at its offices in New York City's Brill Building. Pomus asked Shuman to write with him because Pomus didn't then know much about rock and roll, whereas Shuman was familiar with many popular artists of the day. Their songwriting efforts had Pomus write the lyrics and Shuman the melody, although often they worked on both. They wrote the hit songs "A Teenager in Love", "Save The Last Dance For Me", "Hushabye", 
"This Magic Moment", "Turn Me Loose", "Sweets For My Sweet" (a hit for The Drifters and then The Searchers), "Go, Jimmy, Go", "Little Sister", "Can't Get Used to Losing You", "Suspicion", "Surrender" and "(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame".

During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Pomus wrote several songs with Phil Spector ("Young Boy Blues"; "Ecstasy"; "What Am I To Do?"), Mike Stoller and Jerry Leiber ("Young Blood" and "She's Not You"), and other Brill Building-era writers. Pomus also wrote "Lonely Avenue", a 1956 hit for Ray Charles. 

In the late-1960s, more rock artists began writing their own songs and the industry shifted from singles to albums, reducing demand for pop songwriters.

Until the late 1970s, Pomus supplemented his income by playing poker—a pastime he likened to songwriting for its cruel capriciousness. In the 1970s and 1980s, Pomus staged a comeback, collaborating with a variety of artists. In his eleventh-floor, two-room apartment at the Westover Hotel at 253 West 72nd Street, Pomus wrote songs with Dr. John, Ken Hirsch and Willy DeVille, These later songs ("There Must Be A Better World",  "You Just Keep Holding On", and "Something Beautiful Dying" in particular, are considered by some, including writer Peter Guralnick, musician and songwriter Dr. John, and producer Joel Dorn, to be signatures of his best craft.

In 1991 Pomus became the first white person to be awarded the Rhythm and Blues Foundation's Pioneer Award. Ray Charles presented the award via a pre-recorded message.  Later that year Pomus died on March 14, 1991 from lung cancer, at the age of 65 at NYU medical centre in Manhattan.

Doc Pomus wrote or co-wrote over 1,000 songs and in his prime, he had 13 Top 10 songs in one year. In 1992 he was elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The documentary film A.K.A. Doc Pomus (2012), conceived by Pomus' daughter Sharyn Felder, directed by filmmaker Peter Miller, edited by Amy Linton and produced by Felder, Hechter and Miller, details Pomus' life.

(Edited mainly from Wikipedia)

Harold Ousley born 23 January 1929

Harold Lomax Ousley (January 23, 1929 – August 13, 2015) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and flautist.

Although Harold Ousley is not a big name in the jazz world and has only recorded sporadically as a leader, the hard bop/soul-jazz musician has backed some major jazz artists over the years.

After studying in high school, Ousley (who is primarily a tenor saxophonist but has played the flute as a second instrument) became a professional musician working with circus bands for a number of years from the late 40s. Concurrently, in the early 50s, he played with Gene Ammons, King Kolax and also, in vivid demonstration of his versatility and stylistic range, with Miles Davis.

And here is a rare track from Ousley’s days in King Kolax’s band. “Vivian” which was probably arranged by Sonny Blount later known as the one and only Sun Ra, was recorded on December 22, 1954 by  Kolax [William Little] (tp, ldr,); Harold Ousley (ts); Prentice McCarey (p); “Cowboy” Martin (b); Leon Hooper (d, Latin perc).

                              

Through the 50s, mostly playing tenor saxophone, Ousley was often in company with artists of note, among them, Billie Holiday, Brother Jake McDuff, Howard McGhee, Joe Newman, Bud Powell, Clark Terry (the last two playing at the 1959 trip to Paris with a song revue),Dinah Washington (appearing with her at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival), and Joe Williams. 

It was during the '60s that Ousley started recording as a leader; Tenor Sax came out on Bethlehem in 1961,

In the 70s, Ousley recorded some albums for Muse and also had brief spells playing in the big bands of Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton. His eclectic versatility was also displayed during engagements with pop, blues and R&B performers, such as George Benson, Big Brave Maybelle, Charles Brown, Ruth Brown, Percy Mayfield, Sunnyland Slim and Jimmy Witherspoon.

Ousley's obvious love for many years has been jazz education. He has presented jazz programs to schools and also became involved in the use of music as therapy with the Groves Therapeutic Counselling Service owned and ran by his late wife Alice Groves Ousley.

Owsley, who also played flute and digital horn, has made some film and television appearances, including appearing in Cotton Comes To Harlem (1970) and hosting his own early 90s cable television show, Harold Ousley Presents. Also in the early 90s, he was teamed up with Bill Doggett, A vigorous player with a rugged emotionalism. Ousley's work often shows the influence of blues, regardless of the setting.

When the CD era arrived in the late '80s, none of Ousley's albums were still in print. Ousley had just turned 71 when, in January 2000, he finally returned to the studio as a leader and recorded Grit-Gittin' Feelin' for Delmark.

Ousley died August 13, 2015 in Brooklyn NY.

(Mainly edited from broadwayworld.com. MP3 and notes from 

crownpropeller.)

Heres a clip from Manhattan Cable TV show, New York City. 2002

Musicians: Harold Ousley, tenor sax and TV show producer.

Peter Hartmann, bass. Joey "G-Clef" Cavaseno, alto saxophone.

Mark McGowan, trumpet. Marlon Sobol, drums.

Richard Clements, piano. 
Songs: Four, Blue Bossa, Freedom's Child.

Ronnie Cord born 22 January 1943

Ronnie Cord, born Ronald Cordovil, (Manhuaçu, January 22, 1943 - São Paulo, January 6, 1986) was a Brazilian singer who was very active in the 60s, also responsible for the popularity of the Brazilian musical movement known as Jovem Guarda, which launched Roberto Carlos and others.

Son of conductor and composer Hervé Cordovil, he already played guitar at age six. In 1959 he auditioned for Copacabana Records, in Rio de Janeiro. In 1960, the following year, he made his first recording, released as part of compilations on long-playing records that brought together several other singers. Then, Ronnie’s father Herve, chose 16 year-old Brian Hyland's 'Itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka-dot bikini' that had been #1 at the singles chart in the USA in August 1960 for Ronnie to cover. Ronnie's cover turned out better than the original due to Herve's careful production. He even went out of his way to include a munchkin's choir sing the chorus.

By December 1960, Ronnie was #1 in the Brazilian charts with 'Bikini'. Brazilian kids thought it was an American recording like any other like Elvis's, Anka's or Sedaka's. He also reached the top of the charts with his second record ('Pretty blue eyes,’) Ronnie's very 1st single for Copacabana. The problem now was for Ronnie to get a follow up to 'Bikini' but he would have to wait a few years. Cord's 'Look for a star' was a middling hit along side with other people's versions. Through 1961, 1962 and 1963 Ronnie had a few albums released with no big hit coming out of them.

                             

In early 1964 Herve Cordovil thought he might sit down and write a rock tune himself. Why not? Instead of translating a foreign hit he would write a song with an appeal to young people's tastes. 'Rua Augusta' (August Street) is considered by many a-rock historians as being the very first Brazilian rock recording. It turned out to be a 

Ronnie & Herve

big hit all over the country ushering in a lot of other songs dealing with cars, traffic, speed and play-boys. Roberto Carlos, who would soon become the biggest rock act in the country released 'Parei na contra-mão' (I stopped at a one-way street) soon after.

As a follow-up to 'Rua Augusta', Herve Cordovil adapted the words of Ronnie's 1960 hit 'Itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka-dot bikini' into Portuguese as 'Biquini de bolinha amarelinha tão pequenininho' and it went to the top again 4 years later. The girl with the tiny bikini in the Brazilian version is called Anna Maria, who was the name of Ronnie's real-life sweet-heart. Anna Maria was an Italian girl who came to Brazil and decided to stay.

Ronnie and Anna Maria got married on 24 June 1965, at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Pinheiros and settled down at his parents's house on Rua Cutuiçara next to Praça Coronel Fernandes de Lima, in Moema. Ronnie opened a record-shop on Avenida Santo Amaro, not too far from where he lived. Ronnie's father-in-law and sister-in-law took care of the record-bar when he was away.

Ronnie & Anna Maria kept a low profile with their 3 children, Adriana being born on 2 January 1966. Unfortunately, Ronnie died of lung cancer at the young age of 42 on 6 January 1986, at Beneficencia Portuguesa Hospital.

In 2009, "Rua Augusta" was voted one of the 100 Greatest Brazilian Music by Rolling Stone Brasil, ranking 99th.

(Edited mainly from an article by Carlus Maximus @ brazilian-rock.blogspot)

Esquivel born 20 January 1918

Juan García Esquivel (January 20, 1918 – January 3, 2002) was a Mexican band leader, pianist, and composer for television and films. He is recognized today as one of the foremost exponents of a sophisticated style of largely instrumental music that combines elements of lounge music and jazz with Latin flavours. Esquivel is sometimes called "The King of Space Age Pop" and "The Busby Berkeley of Cocktail Music."

He was born in 1918, in Tampico, Tamaulipas, and his family moved to Mexico City in 1928. In interviews, Esquivel's family members have stated that the young boy started playing piano when he was around 6 years old, to the amazement of older musicians who would gather around him in disbelief and to his own delight exhibiting his musical gifts. They have also stated that Esquivel continued to eschew formal musical training as he grew older, preferring to learn from books and by listening to and playing music instead.

By the early 1930s, he was appearing on radio station XEW. Self-taught as a player, composer, and arranger, he proved a prodigy, and was soon leading the station orchestra. By 1940, he had formed his own band, with 22 musicians and 5 vocalists.

RCA contracted with Esquivel in late 1957, first releasing one of his Mexican albums in the U.S. as "To Love Again." The label brought Esquivel to record in Hollywood in early 1958. He was given five hours of studio time to record the album ("Other Worlds, Other Sounds"), but he finished the job with 90 minutes to spare and cut a second album, "Four Corners of the World," with a small combo.

                      Here’s “Macarena” from above album.

                               

Most of Esquivel's recordings start with much the same big band with vocal chorus foundation as Ray Conniff and others, but his arrangements take every element to its limit. On "Latin-esque," he went to the extreme of channel separation by placing two 
orchestras in studios a block apart and mixing the result live in the booth. If Roger Williams uses a four octave run in his version of "Autumn Leaves," Esquivel would use six and split them among six different instruments, starting on the right channel and moving over to the left in the process. It's fitting that Esquivel's name was usually printed with an exclamation point: his trademark is the musical exclamation point, whether it's a "Pow!" sung by the chorus or a "zing" from a harpsichord.

In 1963, Esquivel switched from studio work to live performance, creating a stage show featuring four svelte female singers, flashing lights, and choreographed routines and playing the Vegas-Tahoe circuit. His show was a favorite among Vegas insiders, and celebrities like Frank Sinatra regularly dropped in to listen. He liked to party in the fast lane, too. "I have had many loves in my life: music, cars, women and the piano, not necessarily in that order," he once told an interviewer.

He recorded his last U.S. release in 1967 and his last RCA album was released only in Latin American markets in 1968. By then, Vegas had become the focus of his activities. His concerts featured elaborate light shows years before such effects became 
popular in live music. He performed in Las Vegas on several occasions, often as the opening act for Frank Sinatra. He frequently performed at the Stardust casino lounge.

Esquivel also wrote for TV during and after his studio period. He composed theme songs and soundtracks for several TV series, but his greatest legacy has been a huge library of incidental music written mostly for Universal Studios (under Stanley Wilson's leadership) that's been sampled on over 100 different series, from "McHale's Navy" to "Kojak." 

Generations of television viewers have heard Esquivel's most enduring piece of library music--the three-second bombastic fanfare that accompanies the Universal Studios emblem at the end of its productions.

He led the live band for 12 years, but by the end, his audience had begun to dwindle, and his indulgence in drink and drugs led to the end of his contract. His belongings, including many of his compositions, were hauled off when he fell in arrears on his rent. In 1979, he returned to Mexio and composed for a children's series called "Burbujas." An album of songs and instrumentals from the series sold more than a million copies.

Esquivel enjoyed a tremendous revival in the last decade of his life. Indeed, it could be argued that he was more famous after he was "rediscovered" than when he was at the height of his creativity. 

Confined to a wheelchair in the last years of his life and weakened by heavy hardcore partying during his time in Hollywood, Esquivel was still strong enough to marry what he claimed was his sixth wife in May, 2001. He died from the effects of a stroke on 3 January 2002 (age 83) in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. It's fitting that he lived to see the new century in, since his music was often well ahead of its time.

(Edited from Space Age Pop & Wikipedia)