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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZBUSCH, Lou(b Louis Ferdinand Busch, 18 July '10, Louisville KY; d 18 Sep. '79 in car crash) Pianist, arranger, composer. Worked for Hal Kemp late '30s; became staff arranger/A&R man for Capitol late '40s, working with Kay Starr, Dean Martin etc. Of his singles 'Zambezi' '55 was much bigger in the UK thanks to a brilliant (uncredited) alto sax solo, and still turns up on compilations. As Joe 'Fingers' Carr he made about 14 solo piano albums, had top 20 hits 'Sam's Song', 'Down Yonder' and 'Portuguese Washerwoman' '50--56. It was inevitable that his would be seen as 'honky tonk' music during the '50s fad for tinny pianos, but he was a serious student of ragtime, writing many pieces of his own and inspiring younger players long before the '70s rediscovery of the genre. |