Paul Severson

Paul Severson (August 18, 1928 – May 20, 2007 ) was an American music arranger and composer who wrote some of the most recognizable commercial music of our time. While he may be best known for the Doublemint gum jingle and compositions for Marlboro, Ford, McDonald's, Kellogg's, KFC & Chicken of the Sea, his jazz work in "The Cry of Jazz" is preserved in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry and his Hal Leonard arrangements of Dixieland titles are played by people worldwide. Severson has been called "one of the most famous arrangers/composers you've never heard of".

Early life and career Severson, a 1946 graduate of Fargo Central High School, settled in Chicago after obtaining a master's degree in music from Northwestern University. He performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and composed for a number of top advertising agencies.

Through the 1980s and 1990s Paul Severson was head of the Minnesota State University of Moorhead's music industry program .

Later career Back in Fargo in later years Paul Severson helped found several local jazz groups, arranged compositions for the Red River Dance and Performing Co. and served as music director for Trollwood Performing Arts School. All along, he mentored, encouraged and enlightened.

Severson composed music for a number of national commercials in the early 1990s.

Bill Robinson, who headed the Mesa State Theater department from 1960 to 1988, also had an opportunity to work with Severson. Severson composed the music for the musical Princess, which Robinson produced. "He was quite a jazz man," Robinson said. "He was a very sweet man, truly a gentleman.".

Severson was a moderator and lay minister of two Unitarian Universalist fellowships in Grand Junction and in Fargo, North Dakota. His spiritual search led him to study eastern religions, Native American spirituality, science, philosophy and mysticism. After four years of study, he became a Church of Religious Science practitioner.

Death Paul Severson died on May 20, 2007, after a long struggle with prostate cancer.

Discography As Sideman (trombone):

With Ralph Marterie

1949 Sweet and Lovely- With Strings 1951 Dance Band in Town 1952 Dancing on the Downbeat 1953 Pennsylvania Turnpike 1954 Alone Together Music for Smoochin 1955 Salute to the Aragon Ballroom 1955 Hits That Made Him Famous 1959 Marvelous Marterie

With Stan Kenton

1953 By Request Vol. 5 1953. The Creep/Tenderly

With The Four Freshmen

1953 Tenderly/I'll Be Seeing You

With Hal Kartun

1955 WBBM Live Showmanship

With Bill Russo

1956 The World of Alcina

With David Carroll

1960 Solo Encores 1960 Latin Percussion With Tony Marterie/ Tony Martell

1961 Jungle Drums/April & The Winds

1962. Play For You 1963 Folk Tunes Swingin’ Band Style