On this day (October 30) in 1912, Leland James “Lee” Gillette was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. While Lee Gillette may not exactly be a household name, country music would sound very different without him. As the head of Capitol Records’ country music A&R division, Gillette produced most of the label’s post-World War II talent, including Jimmy Wakely, Tex Ritter, Jack Guthrie, Tex Williams, Tennessee Ernie Ford, and Merle Travis. He also had a longstanding partnership with acclaimed jazz-pop artist Nat King Cole, whose records he produced from the early 1950s until Cole’s death in 1965.
On August 20, 1981, Lee Gillette died at age 68 at his home in Los Angeles, California. Today, we’re remembering his numerous contributions to the music industry in honor of what would have been his 114th birthday.
Lee Gillette Was a Musician First
Spending his childhood in Peoria and Chicago, Illinois, Lee Gillette made music before he ever produced it. He sang and played drums in local bands, often alongside his friend Ken Nelson. Together, the two formed a vocal trio, the Campus Kids.
In 1939, Gillette left the Midwest behind for the bright lights of Hollywood, where he joined the orchestra for the popular radio show Fibber McGee and Molly.
A Longtime Fixture at Capitol Records in Both Country and Pop
During his time in Hollywood, Lee Gillette met Glenn Wallichs, who recorded Fibber McGee and Molly on transcription discs.
When Wallichs co-founded Capitol Records three years later in 1942, he enlisted Gillette to head up the label’s country music A&R section.
He spent much of the next decade working with artists like Ritter, Wakely, Travis, Ford, Wesley Tuttle, and Gube Beaver before jumping ship to the label’s pop division in 1950.
Although he continued to produce Ford — including his breakout 1955 hit “Sixteen Tons” — Gillette’s focus increasingly shifted to jazz-pop superstar Nat “King” Cole.
The two men enjoyed a long and fruitful professional partnership, with Gillette producing most of his fellow Chicagoan’s records from the early 1950s until Cole’s death in 1965.
During his time at Capitol, Gillette also worked with Georgia Gibbs, Dean Martin, Peggy Lee, Joe “Fingers” Carr, Nelson Riddle, Stan Kenton, and Vic Damone.
Additionally, he co-founded the music publishing company Central Songs, and helped organize the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS).
Retirement
On February 15, 1965, Nat “King” Cole died at age 45 after a brief battle with lung cancer.
Distraught over his longtime friend’s untimely passing, Lee Gillette retired from Capitol Records in April 1965.
Selling his one-third interest in Central Songs, he spent the rest of his life traveling the world with his wife, Edith.
Featured image by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
The post Born 114 Years Ago Today in Indiana, the Man Who Produced Some of Country Music’s Biggest Post-WWII Stars, Including Merle Travis and Tennessee Ernie Ford appeared first on American Songwriter.