Axel Stordahl
Axel Stordahl (August 8, 1913 – August 30, 1963) was a pioneering American arranger, composer, and conductor, renowned for his influential work with Frank Sinatra. Born in Staten Island, New York, to Norwegian immigrant parents, Stordahl began his musical journey as a trumpeter in jazz bands during the late 1920s and early 1930s. He soon transitioned into arranging, joining Tommy Dorsey's orchestra in 1936, where he became the main arranger and contributed to the band's signature hit, "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You."
Stordahl's collaboration with Sinatra began in 1940 when the singer joined Dorsey's band. Recognizing Stordahl's ability to tailor arrangements to a singer's vocal qualities, Sinatra took him along when he embarked on his solo career in 1942. Together, they crafted around three hundred songs for Columbia Records, with Stordahl arranging three-quarters of them. His sophisticated orchestrations, characterized by lush strings and woodwinds, helped define Sinatra's early sound and brought pop arranging into the modern age.
In addition to his work with Sinatra, Stordahl composed notable songs like "I Should Care," "Day by Day," and "Night after Night," often collaborating with lyricists such as Paul Weston and Sammy Cahn. He also worked with other prominent artists, including Bing Crosby, Doris Day, Eddie Fisher, Dinah Shore, Nat 'King' Cole, and Dean Martin.
Stordahl's personal life included a marriage to singer June Hutton in 1951, with whom he made several recordings. His final collaboration with Sinatra was the 1961 album "Point of No Return." Axel Stordahl passed away in Encino, California, leaving behind a legacy as a trailblazer in the field of pop music arranging.
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