Research Catalog

Title

Luther Henderson papers, 1909-1985.

Author

Henderson, Luther, 1919-2003.

Supplementary Content

Finding aid

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

53.1 linear feet (193 box)

Summary

• Original Compositions include songs by Henderson, and numerous songwriting partners, in various stages of completion, as well as compositions by members of his immediate family. The bulk of the collection consists of scores, including sketches, reduction scores, full scores, and parts for Henderson's numerous arrangements and orchestrations in a career that spanned six decades. They are also arranged in sub-series by production category. Scores for "Jelly's Last Jam" (1992) are not included, although sketches for an earlier workshop production of "Mr. Jelly Lord" are found here. The Published Music series includes a library of sheet music and songbooks of classical scores, operetta, and popular music collected by Henderson, and possibly originally owned by his parents.
• Personal Papers include correspondence with family and friends, early programs and composition books, notes and outlines for theater projects, and notes for a 75th anniversary tribute to Duke Ellington discussing their professional relationship. Professional Papers contain correspondence with agents and colleagues, appointment books, business and financial records documenting songwriting partnerships, and scripts. Production Materials, organized by production category, such as Broadway, Off-Broadway, Unproduced, Television, Recordings, and Individual Acts, and the name of show or individual, range from 1948 to 1985 and contain correspondence, contracts, notes, scripts, programs, marketing materials, reviews, rehearsal schedules, and song charts. The development of "Ain't Misbehavin'" is traced from its earliest Manhattan Theater Club performances through Broadway and European productions.

Subjects

• African American conductors (Music)
• African American theater > New York (State) > New York
• Scores
• Correspondence
• Financial records
• Allen, Billie
• African American theatrical producers and directors
• Henderson, Luther, 1919-2003 > Correspondence
• Arrangers (Musicians) > United States
• African American choral conductors
• Musicals > Excerpts
• African American composers
• Fleagle, Brick
• Ellington, Duke, 1899-1974
• Contracts
• African American musicians
• African Americans in the performing arts
• Popular music > United States
• Musical theater > New York (State) > New York
• Musicals > Scores
• Ain't misbehavin'
• Orchestrators > United States
• Canadian Brass
• Wilson, Nancy
• Ellington, Mercer

Genre/Form

• Contracts.
• Correspondence.
• Financial records.
• Scores.

Note

• Photographs transferred to Photographs and Prints Division.

Additional Formats (note)

• Additional papers at the Library of Congress.

Source (note)

• Luther Henderson

Biography (note)

• Luther L. Henderson Jr. was an African-American musician, composer, arranger, orchestrator, and conductor whose 60-year career included work in theater, television, film, dance, and recordings. Henderson's early musical influences ranged from classical composers to folk, church, and popular music. After graduation from Juilliard School with a B.S. degree (1942), he played piano in the New York area, and in 1944, was inducted into the United States Navy where he wrote and arranged musical selections for Navy bands. In the 1940s and 1950s Henderson worked as a vocal coach, accompanist and arranger for performers in clubs, on recordings and television, including Lena Horne, Al Hibbler, Polly Bergen, and Victor Borge. He also wrote and arranged music for a number of Oldsmobile industrial shows that featured choreographer and performer Carol Haney. Following work with Haney on arrangements for dance music in the 1958 musical Flower Drum Song, Henderson's skills as arranger, pianist, and orchestrator began to be in greater demand.
• During the 1960s and 1970s, Henderson was dance music arranger or orchestrator on a number of Broadway shows and also arranged club acts and personal appearances for many of the popular performers of the day. In 1978, he served as orchestrator, arranger, pianist and musical director for "Ain't Misbehavin'" for which he received a Tony Award nomination. He also arranged and composed for Off-Broadway and regional productions, as well as ballet, film, and television specials. His 1985 workshop production "Mr. Jelly Lord" was the genesis of the 1992 Tony Award-winning musical "Jelly's Last Jam," for which Henderson adapted and arranged the music of Jelly Roll Morton and was nominated for best score. Over five decades, he also contributed as arranger and composer to numerous albums recorded by his own orchestra, as well as Duke Ellington, Andre Kostalanetz, the Royal Philharmonic, the Canadian Brass, and many individual artists. Henderson died in 2003, and was selected as a 2004 National Endowment of the Arts Jazz master shortly before his death.

Call Number

Sc MG 322

Author

Henderson, Luther, 1919-2003.

Title

Luther Henderson papers, 1909-1985.

Additional Formats

Additional papers at the Library of Congress.

Biography

Luther L. Henderson Jr. was an African-American musician, composer, arranger, orchestrator, and conductor whose 60-year career included work in theater, television, film, dance, and recordings. Henderson's early musical influences ranged from classical composers to folk, church, and popular music. After graduation from Juilliard School with a B.S. degree (1942), he played piano in the New York area, and in 1944, was inducted into the United States Navy where he wrote and arranged musical selections for Navy bands. In the 1940s and 1950s Henderson worked as a vocal coach, accompanist and arranger for performers in clubs, on recordings and television, including Lena Horne, Al Hibbler, Polly Bergen, and Victor Borge. He also wrote and arranged music for a number of Oldsmobile industrial shows that featured choreographer and performer Carol Haney. Following work with Haney on arrangements for dance music in the 1958 musical Flower Drum Song, Henderson's skills as arranger, pianist, and orchestrator began to be in greater demand.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Henderson was dance music arranger or orchestrator on a number of Broadway shows and also arranged club acts and personal appearances for many of the popular performers of the day. In 1978, he served as orchestrator, arranger, pianist and musical director for "Ain't Misbehavin'" for which he received a Tony Award nomination. He also arranged and composed for Off-Broadway and regional productions, as well as ballet, film, and television specials. His 1985 workshop production "Mr. Jelly Lord" was the genesis of the 1992 Tony Award-winning musical "Jelly's Last Jam," for which Henderson adapted and arranged the music of Jelly Roll Morton and was nominated for best score. Over five decades, he also contributed as arranger and composer to numerous albums recorded by his own orchestra, as well as Duke Ellington, Andre Kostalanetz, the Royal Philharmonic, the Canadian Brass, and many individual artists. Henderson died in 2003, and was selected as a 2004 National Endowment of the Arts Jazz master shortly before his death.

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Finding aid

Research Call Number

Sc MG 322