Henry Jerome '' was an American big band leader, trumpeter, arranger, composer, and record company executive. Jerome formed his first dance band in 1932 in Norwich, Connecticut. His bands flourished throughout the 1940s, 1950s, and early 1960s. Jerome went on to become A&R director at Decca Records in 1959 and A&R director for Coral Records, a Decca subsidiary, in the late 1960s.
; Early days Jerome formed his first professional orchestra while in the eighth grade — in 1931, when he was 14. ; First passenger ship While in high school Jerome received an offer from the American Export Lines for his orchestra to perform on a ship sailing from New York to Europe. Without quitting school, Jerome secured permission from the Norwich Free Academy to accept the job. ; 1932 to 1937 In addition to performing aboard passenger ships, Henry Jerome and His Orchestra performed at clubs, hotels, ballrooms, and theaters throughout the United States, and began performing on radio and TV in 1940. ; Dinner at the Green Room On February 28, 1948, Henry Jerome and His Orchestra were booked at the Green Room of the Hotel Edison, in New York, to fill a 9-day gap between Claudia Carroll's closing and Alvy West–Buddy Greco's opening on March 26. From then on, Henry Jerome and His Orchestra performed regularly there. In 1952, ABC Radio Network began broadcastingthe show, weekly, calling it, Dinner At The Green Room. Songs such as "Homing Pigeon", "I Love My Mama", "Nice People", "Night Is Gone", "Until Six", and "Oh, How I Need You, Joe" became staples of East Coast airwaves. According to a review in the December 11, 1948, issue of Billboard, Jerome had perfected the style of Hal Kemp, a more mellow, soft, and sweet style that suited many hotels. The Billboard reporter, Hal Webman, went on to become an A&R executive with Jerome's future employer, Decca. ; Executive roles in recording Jerome was A&R director at Coral Records, Decca Records, and MCA Records from 1959 to 1968. He became A&R director of United Artists Records from 1968 to 1970. In 1971, he became president of Green Menu Music Factory, collaborating with Kim Gannon, Leonard Whitcup, Bobbi Martin, Norman Simon, Angelo Musulino.
Selected compositions
; Music
"Stay With Me"
"For the Love of Him", words & music by Bobbi Martin & Al Mortimer, United Artists Music
Henry Jerome used two pseudonyms: Van Grayson and Al Mortimer, both published as co-composer as a way of getting a royalty cut for musicians that he put on salary. ; Notable songs that credit Al Mortimer
"For the Love of Him"
"Lonesome Tears in My Eyes"
Awards
In addition, Jerome was recognized with the 1974 Norwich Native Son Award.
In the early 1960s, Henry Jerome and His Orchestra recorded eleven albums under the name, "Brazen Brass", from which four singles reached the top 10, worldwide — Jerome conceived the idea and Dick Jacobs did the arrangements. Some music historians attribute Jerome's inspiration for Brazen Brass to Billy May's Big Fat Brass album that won a 1959 Grammy, for Best Performance by an Orchestra or Instrumentalist with Orchestra.
