Michael Andrew "Peanuts" Hucko (April 7, 1918 – June 19, 2003) was an American

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s ...

musician. His primary instrument was the

clarinet The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitch ...

, but he sometimes played saxophone.

Early life and education

He was born in

Syracuse, New York Syracuse ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in the state of New York following New York City, Buffalo, Yonkers, and Rochester. At the 2020 census, the city' ...

, United States, and moved to New York City in 1939; he played tenor saxophone with Will Bradley, Tommy Reynolds and Joe Marsala until 1940. After a brief time with

Charlie Spivak Charlie Spivak (February 17, 1907 – March 1, 1982) was an American trumpeter and bandleader, best known for his big band in the 1940s. Early life The details of Spivak's birth are unclear. Some sources place it in Ukraine in 1907, and that h ...

, he joined the

Glenn Miller Alton Glen Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944) was an American big band founder, owner, conductor, composer, arranger, trombone player and recording artist before and during World War II, when he was an officer in the US Army Air Forc ...

Army Air Force Band in which he served in Europe during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. During this time, Peanuts (the nickname comes from a childhood love of the food) began to concentrate on the clarinet "because we did a lot of marching in sand, which was awkward with the tenor." He was featured in Miller's hard-driving versions of "Stealin' Apples" and "Mission to Moscow".

Post-war period

Jack Lesberg, Max Kaminsky, Peanuts Hucko (Gottlieb 05581)

During the post-war period, Hucko played in the bands of

Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing". From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His conc ...

, Ray McKinley,

Eddie Condon Albert Edwin Condon (November 16, 1905 – August 4, 1973) was an American jazz banjoist, guitarist, and bandleader. A leading figure in Chicago jazz, he also played piano and sang. Early years Condon was born in Goodland, Indiana, the son of J ...

and

Jack Teagarden Weldon Leo "Jack" Teagarden (August 20, 1905 – January 15, 1964) was an American jazz trombonist and singer. According to critic Scott Yannow of Allmusic, Teagarden was the preeminent American jazz trombone player before the bebop era of the 1 ...

. From 1950 to 1955, he was busy in New York as a studio musician for CBS and ABC. This was followed by more work with Goodman and Teagarden, after which he joined the

Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and Singing, vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and se ...

All-Stars from 1958 to 1960. When he visited Tokyo, Japan, as the lead alto saxophone player of Benny Goodman's Orchestra in January, 1951, he listened to clarinetist

Shoji Suzuki was a Japanese jazz clarinet player and band leader nicknamed the "Benny Goodman of Japan". Life Shoji Suzuki was born in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture. His father Saburo was a violin player who performed in an orchestra that accompanied si ...

and his Rhythm Aces. With Suzuki and his band, they recorded the song "Suzukake No Michi", which broke sales records in Japan. Hucko led his own group at Eddie Condon's Club from 1964 to 1966. He became known for his work with

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the " Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...

as the clarinet soloist on

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in film. Born to ...

's "

What Is This Thing Called Love? "What Is This Thing Called Love?" is a 1929 popular song written by Cole Porter, for the musical '' Wake Up and Dream''. It was first performed by Elsie Carlisle in March 1929. The song has become a popular jazz standard and one of Porter's most ...

", which was featured on Sinatra's album '' In the Wee Small Hours'' (1955). In 1964, he opened his own nightclub in Denver, Peanuts Hucko's Navarre, featuring his singer wife

Louise Tobin Mary Louise Tobin (November 11, 1918 – November 26, 2022) was an American jazz singer and musician. She appeared with Benny Goodman, Bobby Hackett, Will Bradley, and Jack Jenney. Tobin introduced " I Didn't Know What Time It Was" with Goodman ...

(formerly Mrs.

Harry James Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947 but shortly after he reorganized ...

) and

Ralph Sutton Ralph Earl Sutton (November 4, 1922 – December 30, 2001) was an American jazz pianist born in Hamburg, Missouri. He was a stride pianist in the tradition of James P. Johnson and Fats Waller. Biography Sutton was born in Hamburg, Missouri, ...

. From 1966, he was featured regularly at Dick Gibson's Colorado jazz parties where he appeared with the Ten Greats of Jazz, later called the

World's Greatest Jazz Band The World's Greatest Jazz Band was an all-star jazz ensemble active from 1968 to 1978. Dick Gibson founded the group at his sixth Jazz Party, an annual event. The group performed mostly Dixieland jazz and recorded extensively. It was co-led by ...

. In the 1970s, he led the

Glenn Miller Orchestra Glenn Miller and His Orchestra was an American swing dance band formed by Glenn Miller in 1938. Arranged around a clarinet and tenor saxophone playing melody, and three other saxophones playing harmony, the band became the most popular and com ...

and toured with them across the U.S. and abroad. During this period he toured the U.K. as guest soloist with the Million Airs Orchestra, appearing with them in recreations of the Glenn Miller AEF Orchestra concerts and broadcasts. Hucko is perhaps best known to the public for his appearances with the

Lawrence Welk Lawrence Welk (March 11, 1903 – May 17, 1992) was an American accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted the '' The Lawrence Welk Show'' from 1951 to 1982. His style came to be known as "champagne music" to his radio, te ...

Orchestra on national TV during the early 1970s. In the 1980s, Hucko had a busy concert and touring schedule as a soloist and with his award-winning Pied Piper quintet. He and Tobin later settled into semi-retirement in

Denton, Texas Denton is a city in and the county seat of Denton County, Texas, United States. With a population of 139,869 as of 2020, it is the 27th-most populous city in Texas, the 197th-most populous city in the United States, and the 12th-most populous ...

. His last recording was ''Swing That Music'' in 1992 featuring Tobin, trumpeter Randy Sandke, and pianist Johnny Varro. He died in 2003 in

Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is the List of cities in Texas by population, fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the List of United States cities by population, 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, T ...

at the age of 85.Michael "Peanuts" Hucko: Newspaper Obituary and Death Notice, ''

Fort Worth Star-Telegram The ''Fort Worth Star-Telegram'' is an American daily newspaper serving Fort Worth and Tarrant County, the western half of the North Texas area known as the Metroplex. It is owned by The McClatchy Company. History In May 1905, Amon G. Carte ...

'', June 23, 2003

Compositions

Peanuts Hucko wrote, or co-wrote, the following songs: "See You Again", "A Bientot", "Peanut Butter", which appeared on V-Disc 812B, "Blintzes Bagel Boogie", which appeared on V-Disc 825A, "Falling Tears", "First Friday", "Tremont Place", and "Sweet Home Suite".

Discography

As leader

* ''Peanuts Hucko'' ( Epic, 1954) * ''Stealin' Apples'' (Zodiac, 1983) * ''Swing That Music'' (Star Line, 1992)

As sideman

With

* ''At Newport'' (Columbia, 1956) * ''Town Hall'' (RCA Victor, 1957) * ''Satchmo Plays King Oliver'' (Audio Fidelity, 1960) With

* ''Jammin' at Condon's'' (Columbia, 1955) * ''Midnight in Moscow'' (Epic, 1956) * ''Dixieland Dance Party'' (London, 1958) With others * Will Bradley & Ray McKinley, ''Hi-Fi Dixie'' (Jazztone, 1957) *

Ruth Brown Ruth Alston Brown (; January 12, 1928 – November 17, 2006) was an American singer-songwriter and actress, sometimes referred to as the " Queen of R&B". She was noted for bringing a pop music style to R&B music in a series of hit songs for At ...

, ''

'' (Atlantic, 1957) *

Billy Butterfield Charles William Butterfield (January 14, 1917 – March 18, 1988) was an American jazz bandleader, trumpeter, flugelhornist, and cornetist. Early years Charles William Butterfield was born in Middletown, Ohio and attended high school in Wyomin ...

, ''Thank You for a Lovely Evening'' (RCA Victor, 1958) *

Lee Castle Lee Castle (February 28, 1915 – November 16, 1990) was an American jazz trumpeter and bandleader. He was born Lee Aniello Castaldo, and performed under this name early in his career. His first major professional job was with Joe Haymes in 1935 ...

, ''Dixieland Heaven'' (Davis, 1957) *

Al Cohn Al Cohn (November 24, 1925 – February 15, 1988) was an American jazz saxophonist, arranger and composer. He came to prominence in the band of clarinetist Woody Herman and was known for his longtime musical partnership with fellow saxophonist ...

, ''

The Sax Section ''The Sax Section'' (subtitled ''The Jazz Workshop Under the Direction of Al Cohn'') is an album by saxophonist composer and arranger Al Cohn recorded in 1956 for the Epic label.Chris Connor Mary Jean Loutsenhizer, known professionally as Chris Connor (November 8, 1927 – August 29, 2009) was an American jazz singer. Biography Chris Connor was born Mary Loutsenhizer in Kansas City, Missouri, to Clyde Loutsenhizer and Mabel Shir ...

, ''Chris Connor Sings the George Gershwin Almanac of Song'' (Atlantic, 1957) *

Warren Covington Warren Covington (August 7, 1921 – August 24, 1999) was an American big band trombonist. He was active as a session musician, arranger, and bandleader throughout his career. Biography Covington, who was born in Philadelphia, played early on ...

, ''Golden Trombones Favorites'' (Decca, 1966) *

Morey Feld Morey Feld (August 15, 1915 – March 28, 1971) was an American jazz drummer who was in bands led by Ben Pollack (1936), Benny Goodman (1943–1945), Eddie Condon (1946), Bobby Hackett, and Billy Butterfield. In 1960 Feld moved to Denver, Color ...

, ''Jazz Goes to B'Way'' (Kapp, 1955) * Bud Freeman, ''Midnight at Eddie Condon's'' (Emarcy, 1955) * Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band, ''Ragtime Jamboree'' (Decca, 1954) * Lawson-Haggart Jazz Band, ''Windy City'' (Decca, 1958) *

Lou McGarity Robert Louis McGarity (July 22, 1917 – August 28, 1971) was an American jazz trombonist who was a member of the Benny Goodman big band during the late 1930s and early 1940s. After serving in the military, he was a studio musician in New York Cit ...

, ''Lou McGarity: In Celebration'' (IAJRC, 1981) * Ray McKinley, ''Borderline'' (Savoy, 1955) * Jimmy McPartland, ''Dixieland!'' (Harmony, 1968) * Mel Powell, ''Out On a Limb'' (Vanguard, 1955) *

Lou Stein Lou Stein (April 22, 1922 – December 11, 2002) was an American jazz pianist. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Stein joined Ray McKinley's band in 1942. He played with Glenn Miller when the latter was stateside during World War II. After ...

, ''The Lou Stein Three, Four and Five'' (Epic, 1955) * Lou Stein, ''Eight for Kicks Four for Laughs'' (Jubilee, 1956) *

, ''Jack Teagarden'' (RCA Victor, 1966) * Helen Ward, ''With a Little Bit of Swing'' (RCA Victor, 1958) *

Alex Welsh Alex Welsh (9 July 1929 – 25 June 1982) was a Scottish jazz musician who played cornet and trumpet and was also a bandleader and singer, Biography Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Welsh started playing in the teenage Leith Silver Band and wi ...

, ''Peanuts Hucko Vol. 1'' (Lake, 2002) * Lee Wiley, ''West of the Moon'' (RCA Victor, 1957)

References

External links

Peanuts Hucko Interview
NAMM Oral History Library (1994)
Louise Tobin and Peanuts Hucko Jazz Collection
at Texas A&M University–Commerce
Michael "Peanuts" Hucko collection
Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University {{DEFAULTSORT:Hucko, Peanuts 1918 births 2003 deaths 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century clarinetists American jazz clarinetists Big band bandleaders Dixieland clarinetists Jazz musicians from New York (state) Musicians from Syracuse, New York People from Fort Worth, Texas Swing clarinetists World's Greatest Jazz Band members