Art Kassel was an influential American saxophonist, singer-songwriter, and bandleader born on January 18, 1896, in Chicago, Illinois. He passed away on February 3, 1965, in Van Nuys, California. Kassel was best known for leading his orchestra, "Kassels in the Air," which was a prominent fixture in the Chicago music scene for over three decades.

Kassel formed his first dance band in 1924 for an appearance at the Midway Gardens in Chicago. His orchestra became known for its "sweet" dance music, a style that contrasted with the more popular swing music of the time. The band gained national exposure through frequent performances at the Aragon and Trianon Ballrooms and a long-standing engagement at the Bismarck Hotel in Chicago.

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Kassel's orchestra featured notable jazz musicians, including Benny Goodman, Bud Freeman, and Mugsy Spanier, and recorded for RCA Victor. The band also had a successful presence on radio, appearing on shows sponsored by companies like Shell Oil and Elgin Watch.

In the late 1950s, Kassel moved to the West Coast, where his orchestra performed at venues such as the Hollywood Palladium and appeared on a local television program, The Gloria Hart Show. After Kassel's death, his orchestra continued to perform on the West Coast, maintaining the legacy of their theme song, "Doodle-Doo-Doo."

Art Kassel's contributions to the music scene, particularly in Chicago, left a lasting impact on the development of dance music in the early to mid-20th century.