Dick Sudhalter
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Dick Sudhalter (born Richard M. Sudhalter on December 28, 1938 in Boston, Massachusetts is a United States jazz cornetist.
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[edit] Background
Sudhalter grew up in Newton, Massachusetts with his father who played the saxophone and 'clearly defined' the quality of music expected of him at a young age. At 12 he took up the cornet and by his teens was playing in Boston nightclubs.
Sudhalter obtained his degree in music and English Lit. at Oberlin College before relocating to Europe in 1960, where he pursued careers in music and broadcasting. He joined the United Press International (UPI) as a news correspondent reporting on the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia.
In 1974, Sudhalter performed as a sideman for cornettist Bobby Hackett with his band Commodore on Hackett's only UK tour forming the New Paul Whiteman Orchestra.
Sudhalter’s music career continued to flourish in the 80's, winning Grammy Awards for his annotations as well as producing and playing on many albums through the 90's and releasing aforementioned books in 1999 and 2001
[edit] Literary works
Sudhalter's biography of Bix Beiderbecke, entitled "Bix: Man and Legend" was published in 1974 (Sudhalter played Bix Beiderbecke's cornet solos during his stint with Hackett.) A quarter-century later, his award winning book “Lost Chords: White Musicians and Their Contribution to Jazz, 1915-1945" published in 1999, followed two years later by “Stardust Melody: The Life and Music of Hoagy Carmichael” published in 2001.
[edit] Current status
Sudhalter resides on Long Island, New York, where he is recovering from massive stroke suffered in 2003 and returned to teaching as a Jazz History professor in Dix Hills, New York. His health has since taken a turn for the worse in due to complications from multiple system atrophy (MSA).
