Doc Severinsen

Carl Hilding "Doc" Severinsen (born July 7, 1927) is an American retired jazz trumpeter who led the NBC Orchestra on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

Early life Severinsen was born in Arlington, Oregon, to Minnie Mae (1897–1998) and Carl Severinsen (1898–1972). He was nicknamed Doc after his father, the only dentist in Arlington, who was born in Germany to a Danish father and a Swiss mother. Severinsen's father played violin and wanted him to play it, as well, but Severinsen wanted to play trombone. Because his arms were not long enough for trombone, and the small Arlington music store had none available, he settled for the cornet. A neighbor provided him with some lessons, while his father, tobacco in mouth, instructed him to spit out the notes like spitting tobacco. His mother threatened to spank him if he did not practice. Growing up, Severinsen idolized trumpeter and band leader Harry James. Severinsen proved to have a knack for the instrument and was in a high-school band when he was seven. At 9, he won a state trumpet contest, at 12 he won the Music Teachers National Association’s national contest, at 13, he joined a multistate all-star band, and at 14, he auditioned...