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My Birthday Gift To You (2024 Remaster...

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Biography

Loewenstern was given his first saxophone at age six, soon becoming a ‘child prodigy,’ appearing at age nine in “Ripley’s Belive It Or Not,” after memorizing 76 classical compositions. At sixteen, Lloyd Snyder’s band came through and needed a lead sax- picking up Hugo and going on his first tour that summer. Hugo majored in clarinet/saxophone at Eastman School of Music and then moved to NYC, where upon recommendation of Benny Goodman, he joined and toured with Jack Teagarden’s band. Hugo then went to Hollywood, where he heard Harry James had an opening for a baritone sax player and clarinetist. Never playing baritone, he rented one, practiced for two days and got the job. They toured all the major theaters in the US. In 1947, he returned to Amarillo, leading his own band until a year later when an offer came from Tommy Dorsey. He joined and toured six continents. Between Dorsey gigs, Hugo played Amarillo with his band and met his lifelong wife and the mother of his six children, Mary Lou. The newlyweds rejoined Dorsey, settled in Hollywood and later played with Sonny Burke & His Orchestra. Eventually moving back to Amarillo, Hugo further advanced his musical career with his solo album for Capitol Records- “Who Said Good Music Is Dead???” with composer/arranger Johnny Richards. In 2001, KACV produced a documentary on Loewenstern- “That Alto Man,” celebrating his life and career. He continued making music every day until his passing in 2016.