Buddy Cole (musician)

Edwin LeMar Cole, known as Buddy Cole (December 15, 1916 in Irving, Illinois – November 5, 1964), was a jazz pianist and orchestra leader. He played behind a number of pop singers, including Rosemary Clooney, Jill Corey, and The Four Lads, who recorded for Columbia Records.

Buddy Cole started his musical life in the theater playing between movies. He moved to Hollywood and played with a couple of bands before becoming a studio musician. He played piano for Bing Crosby for a number of years and also toured with Rosemary Clooney. Albums with his combo were recorded on piano and Hammond organ. Famously he installed the Wurlitzer organ from the United Artists theatre in his home studio and recorded some fantastic tracks on it - most notably a magnificent arrangement of Richard Rodgers "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" - and also a number of self - penned compositions. A couple of albums were recorded utilizing the Wurlitzer and a big band for the label Alshire. He suffered a series of heart attacks during the early sixties culminating in a fatal one in 1964.