Band Leader. Born Nathaniel Lester Lanin he was the youngest of 10 boys. He and at least six of his brothers followed in their father's and grandfather's footsteps to become band leaders. He started playing the piano and drums at the age of 5. He dropped out of school at the age of 15 to play in his brothers' bands and to book musicians for them and himself. His first big break came in 1930 in New York when he played for Barbara Hutton's coming out party and his career as a band leader took off. His fast, two-beat dance tempo - what is called the businessman's bounce - became a standard by which society bands are measured. He and his bands (he sometimes had more than a dozen on the road at once) by 1992 had played 20,000 wedding receptions, 7,500 parties, 4,500 proms, and recorded over 30 albums. He epitomized a fading species, the society bandleader. He played at the homes of the Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, duPonts, Chryslers and Mellons. He played every presidential inauguration since Eisenhower's, except two, Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush. He played for Queen Elizabeth's 60th birthday party, as well as for the kings of Norway, Spain, Greece, Denmark and Sweden. He was in such demand that people would often book him for their affairs, sometimes as much as, 18 years in advance. He claimed to invent the concept of playing continuous music at a party, and he is legendary for never leaving the bandstand during a dance. He was inducted into the Big Band Hall Of Fame in Palm Beach, Fla., in 1993 and retired from band leading in 2001.
Band Leader. Born Nathaniel Lester Lanin he was the youngest of 10 boys. He and at least six of his brothers followed in their father's and grandfather's footsteps to become band leaders. He started playing the piano and drums at the age of 5. He dropped out of school at the age of 15 to play in his brothers' bands and to book musicians for them and himself. His first big break came in 1930 in New York when he played for Barbara Hutton's coming out party and his career as a band leader took off. His fast, two-beat dance tempo - what is called the businessman's bounce - became a standard by which society bands are measured. He and his bands (he sometimes had more than a dozen on the road at once) by 1992 had played 20,000 wedding receptions, 7,500 parties, 4,500 proms, and recorded over 30 albums. He epitomized a fading species, the society bandleader. He played at the homes of the Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, duPonts, Chryslers and Mellons. He played every presidential inauguration since Eisenhower's, except two, Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush. He played for Queen Elizabeth's 60th birthday party, as well as for the kings of Norway, Spain, Greece, Denmark and Sweden. He was in such demand that people would often book him for their affairs, sometimes as much as, 18 years in advance. He claimed to invent the concept of playing continuous music at a party, and he is legendary for never leaving the bandstand during a dance. He was inducted into the Big Band Hall Of Fame in Palm Beach, Fla., in 1993 and retired from band leading in 2001.
Bio by: Randy Hise
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