Tommy Newsom

Tommy Newsom

born on 25/2/1929 in Portsmouth, VA, United States

died on 28/4/2007 in Portsmouth, VA, United States

Tommy Newsom

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Tommy Newsom

Thomas Penn "Tommy" Newsom (February 25, 1929 April 28, 2007) was a saxophone player in the NBC Orchestra on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, for which he later became assistant director. Newsom was frequently the band's substitute director, whenever Doc Severinsen was away from the show or filling in for announcer Ed McMahon. Nicknamed "Mr. Excitement" as a sarcastic take on his low-keyed, often dour persona, Newsom was often a foil for Carson's humor. His brown or blue suits were a marked contrast to Severinsen's flashy stage clothing.[1]

Newsom joined the band in 1962, and left it when Carson retired in 1992.

Newsom won two Emmy Awards as a musical director, in 1982 with Night of 100 Stars and in 1986 for the 40th Annual Tony Awards. He also recorded several albums as a bandleader.[2]

Newsom was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. He earned degrees from the Norfolk Division of the College of William & Mary (now Old Dominion University), the Peabody Conservatory of Music, and Columbia University. He served in the Air Force where he played in the band, and later toured with the Benny Goodman Orchestra and performed with Vincent Lopez in New York.[2] In addition to Carson's orchestra, Newsom performed with the orchestra for the Merv Griffin Show.

Newsom was as well known within the music industry as an arranger as he was a performer. He arranged for groups as varied as the Tonight Show ensemble and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, and musicians Skitch Henderson, Woody Herman, Kenny Rogers, Charlie Byrd, John Denver, and opera star Beverly Sills.

On April 28, 2007, Newsom died of bladder and liver cancer at his home in Portsmouth. He was 78 years old. Newsom had been married to his wife Patricia for 50 years; they had one daughter, Candy, as well as a son, Mark, who died in 2003[1]

Examples

Newsom and Carson used audiences' low expectations for Tommy to good advantage:

  • One night Carson turned to Newsom during his monologue and asked why he always had his hands clasped together behind his back. Newsom replied "Vapor lock!", bringing down the house with laughter. Carson quipped, "I'm out here busting my buns to get a laugh, with one joke after another, and you just say 'vapor lock' and crack us all up!"
  • Newsom, normally known for wearing bland suits, in contrast to Severinsen's colorful attire, once appeared in a sport coat similar to Carson's own coat for an evening's show. Carson, noticing the similarity, asked him where he got the coat. Newsom responded simply, "It was in my closet at home, Johnny," breaking up Carson and the audience.
  • One night, Newsom wore on the show a very bold (for him) yellow suit. Carson commented, "Look at that big, dumb canary." Newsom's response: "Youll know what kind of bird I am when I fly over you."[2]

Discography

As sideman

With Buck Clayton and Tommy Gwaltney's Kansas City 9

  • Goin' to Kansas City (Riverside, 1960)

As arranger

With Maurice Hines

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Bernstein, Alan, Jazz Saxophonist Tommy Newsom; Played on 'Tonight Show', The Washington Post, May 1, 2007. URL accessed on 2009-10-09.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Martin, Douglas, Tommy Newsom, Saxophonist, Dies at 78, The New York Times, May 1, 2007. URL accessed on 2009-10-09.

External links

  • City of Norfolk biography
  • Interview with Newsom by his nephew, Jim Newsom
  • Tommy Newsom at the Internet Movie Database
This page was last modified 04.12.2013 23:10:26

This article uses material from the article Tommy Newsom from the free encyclopedia Wikipedia and it is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.