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Perry Botkin Sr. (July 22, 1907 in Springfield, Ohio — October 14, 1973 in Van Nuys, California) was an American Jazz musician, composer and songwriter.
Career
Perry Botkin Sr. started working in the 1920s for Wayne Euchner, who had a big band in West Baden, Indiana. Around 1928 he worked with Phil Napoleon's Original Memphis Five. Later he played the guitar in Hoagy Carmichael's Hong Kong Blues. He also recorded with Al Jolson, Buddy Cole Trio, Connee Boswell, Eddie Cantor, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Paul Whiteman, Bob Hope, Fred Astaire, Spike Jones (Clink Clink, Another Drink), The Dorsey Brothers and Roy Rogers.
During the 1940s into the early 1950s, Botkin was a member of many of the Hollywood Radio Studio Orchestras.
On NBC's Fibber McGee and Molly radio show, Botkin would be a featured jazz guitarist with a few bars of a guitar solo within the musical portion of that show, as a member of the Billy Mills Orchestra, who provided the radio orchestra for that show.
For 17 years he worked as musical director for Bing Crosby. He also was seen in as a musician in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1956-1957). In 1958 he composed the score for Murder by Contract and in the 1960s he composed many songs for The Beverly Hillbillies, e.g. "Elly Mae’s Theme".
His son, Perry Botkin Jr., also became a successful musician and composer.
Discography
- The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise (Decca L 6346)
- Botkin's Banjo Band (Decca L 6351)