[Dixielandjazz] Peanuts Hucko

[Stephen Barbone]

Jim Denham miussed the DJML news about Hucko. Other may have also. Here
is the Todd Jenkins Obit.

Sadly,
Steve Barbone


Swing clarinet star
by Todd S. Jenkins

Copyright © 2003 Todd S. Jenkins

Peanuts Hucko was born Michael Andrew Hucko. The swing clarinettist's
lifelong nickname stemmed from his childhood love of peanuts. In 1939
Hucko
came to New York City, where he began playing tenor sax with the bands
of
Will Bradley, Joe Marsala, Bob Chester and Charlie Spivak.

He served in Europe with Glenn Miller's Army Air Force Band until the
leader's disappearance in 1944. After Hucko began concentrating solely
on clarinet he was featured in the trombonist's Dixieland combo, the
Uptown Hall Gang. Fats Waller's hot-and-heavy "Stealin' Apples" became
Hucko's signature tune, remaining in his repertoire from then on.

Following the war, Hucko did studio work for ABC and CBS while making
the
rounds of major jazz bands: Benny Goodman, Eddie Condon, Ray McKinley,
Earl Hines, Jack Teagarden, the Louis Armstrong All-Stars. The
clarinetist led
his own combo at Condon's club in the mid-60s, then joined what evolved
into The World's Greatest Jazz Band for annual gigs at Dick Gibson's
Colorado
Jazz Party. Hucko fell in love with Denver, opening his Navarre
nightclub
there in 1974. The club's featured performers included pianist Ralph
Sutton
and Hucko's wife, singer Louise Tobin (the ex-wife of Harry James).

In the 1970s Hucko's time was largely split between leading the Glenn
Miller
Orchestra on world tours and appearing on the Lawrence Welk Show. The
80s
brought a career revival as Hucko worked regularly with his Pied Piper
Quintet. He and Tobin later settled into semi-retirement in Denton,
Texas. His last recording was 1992's Swing That Music (Star Line)
featuring Tobin, trumpeter Randy Sandke, and pianist Johnny Varro.

Todd S. Jenkins is a member of the JJA, and a contributor to Down Beat
and
other publications.