Dick Jacobs

Dick Jacobs (29 March 1918 – 20 May 1988) was an American musician, conductor, arranger, orchestrator, music director and an artists-and-repertoire director for several record labels (Coral, Decca, Brunswick and Springboard). He helped Jackie Wilson, Buddy Holly, Bobby Darin and others early in their careers in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

According to The Ultimate Book of Songs and Artists, by Joel Whitburn, Jacobs's biggest hits were "Main Title" and "Molly-O" (1956), "Petticoats of Portugal" (1956), and "Fascination" (1957).

Jacobs brought a lush instrumental orchestral sound to a number of rock and roll songs in the late 1950s, notably those for Buddy Holly and Cirino Colacrai and his vocal quartet, the Bowties. Eventually retiring in the late 1970s, he and Harriet Jacobs wrote Who Wrote That Song?, a reference book on popular songs and songwriters.

He died in 1988 in New York City, at the age of 70.

Selected discography Singles Coral 61606 – "Molly-O" / "Butternut" (1956) Coral 61692 – "Seven Wonders of the World" / "Theme from "East of Eden"" (1956) Coral 61724 – "Petticoats of Portugal" / "Song of the Vagabonds-Only A Rose" (1956) Coral 61794 – "Big Beat" / "Tower's Trot and Then You Do That Step" (1957) Coral 61864 – "Fascination" / "Summertime in Venice" (1957) Coral 61907 – "Place Pigalle" / "Lovely Ladies of Milano" (1957) Coral 61951 – "Mambo No. 5" / "Marchin' Drummer Blues" (1958) Coral 62086 – "A Touch of Pink" / "Happy People of Monterrey" (1959)

Albums Main Title (with George Cates Orchestra & Chorus) – Coral CRL-57065 The Man With the Golden Baton – Coral CRL-57127 Themes from Horror Movies – Coral CRL-57240 Written In the Stars (The Zodiac Suite) – Coral CRL-57339 Fascination – Vocalion VL-3672

Sidework Jacobs did arrangements for jazz and popular singers and musicians, ranging from Cab Calloway, Teresa Brewer and Xavier Cugat to Buddy Holly and Jackie Wilson.