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Gene Puerling Collection, 1949-2006Add to your cart.

By Maristella Feustle

Collection Overview

Title: Gene Puerling Collection, 1949-2006Add to your cart.
ID: 06/ 091
Primary Creator: Puerling, Gene
Extent: 60.0 Boxes
Arrangement:

The collection is arranged in five series:

Series 1: Vocal arrangements Series 2: Scores and parts Series 3: Papers Series 4: Sound recordings Series 5: Memorabilia and awards Series 6: July 2016 accrual
Date Acquired: 10/24/2014. More info below under Accruals.
Subjects:
Languages: English
German

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The collection consists of about 60 boxes of manuscripts of compositions and arrangements by Gene Puerling, an innovative vocal jazz arranger and leader of the Hi-Los and The Singers Unlimited vocal groups, along with sound recordings and memorabilia.

Biographical Note

Eugene Thomas Puerling was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on March 31, 1929. Puerling worked as a disc jockey in Milwaukee before moving to Los Angeles, where he worked for Les Baxter and Gordon Jenkins. He was a founding member of the innovative jazz vocal group the Hi-Lo's, which got their first break from Jerry Fielding, who signed the group with Trend Records; they later moved on to Starlite Records, and the group was also briefly associated with Mitch Miller of Columbia Records. Puerling and the Hi-Lo's acheived stardom with appearances on numerous television shows, including those of Steve Allen, Peggy Lee, Nat "King" Cole, Frank Sinatra, Garry Moore, and Andy Williams, but their most durable association was with the Rosemary Clooney show, where they became the house vocal group in 1956. The Hi-Lo's disbanded in 1964 as national musical tastes changed, but Puerling formed a new group, the Singers Unlimited, with Len Dresslar, Bonnie Herman, and Hi-Lo's alumnus Don Shelton. Pianist Oscar Peterson recommended the group to the MPS record label, where they recorded multiple albums. Puerling was nominated for 14 Grammy awards, and won in 1982 for his arraangement of "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" as sung by the Manhattan Transfer. Throughout his career, he collaborated with distinguished instrumental arrangers, including Patrick Williams, Frank Comstock, Marty Paich, and Rob McConnell, among others. He continued arranging for numerous groups, including Chanticleer, and a reunited Hi-Lo's in the late 1970s. Gene Puerling died in Marin County, California, on March 25, 2008.

Subject/Index Terms

Access Information

Access Restrictions:

Access to this collection is provided only by special arrangement. Please contact the Music Library for more information.

Use Restrictions:

Reproduction and publication of materials in this collection are subject to the policies of the UNT Music Library. Copyright restrictions may apply.

Physical Access Note:

Collection is housed in the UNT Music Library. Advance notice for use is required. Please contact the Music Library for further information.

Reading Room or Duplication Requests

Depending on any access restrictions noted above, you may be able to request items be delivered to our reading room, or that we make reproductions for you. Just click on either the or icons in the listings below to be routed to our request form.

Administrative Information

Repository: Music Library
Accruals: Two boxes of reel-to-reel tapes, 45 rpm records, and VHS received on 7/25/2016.
Acquisition Source: Mrs. Helen Puerling
Acquisition Method: Donation.
Finding Aid Revision History: Revised 1/19/2016. Parts described by title.

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Box and Folder Listing
Series 1: Vocal arrangementsSeries 2: Scores and partsSeries 3: PapersSeries 4: Sound recordingsSeries 5: Memorabilia and awardsSeries 6: July 2016 accrual