Saxophonist Buddy Arnold died at age 77
( 2003-11-10 16:26) (Agencies)
Saxophonist Buddy Arnold, who
performed with such jazz greats as Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich and Tommy Dorsey and
co-founded a program to help musicians suffering from drug and alcohol abuse,
died on Sunday at age 77, his publicist said.
The Bronx-born Arnold, who fought his own battle with drug addiction for
years and served time in prison, died of complications from open-heart surgery,
publicist Ronnie Lippin said in a statement.
Born Arnold Buddy Grishaver, he began playing the saxophone at age 9. And by
the time he was 16, he was touring as a professional sideman and performing at
the Apollo Theater in Harlem with bandleader George Auld. After serving in the
Army during World War II, Arnold joined the band of super-drummer Buddy Rich on
a West Coast tour.
Arnold earned his first recording credits in 1949 on the Mercury Records
release of Gene Williams and the Junior Thornhill Band, and he toured with
clarinetist Buddy DeFranco's orchestra in 1951. But he soon descended into a
decades-long struggle with drug addiction.
Although he landed a recording contract with ABC Paramount in 1956 following
an 18-month hospitalization, he was sentenced to prison in 1958 on an attempted
burglary conviction. Pardoned two years later, he played with the Dorsey Band
and toured with Stan Kenton.
He later settled in Los Angeles and recorded four albums for Capitol Records.
After a brief period of sobriety he began using drugs again and in 1981 was
sentenced to seven years in state prison for forging prescriptions and
impersonating a doctor.
Arnold took a job in a drug treatment program after his early release from
prison and went on to establish the Musician's Assistance Program with his wife,
Carole Fields, in 1992. The organization, dedicated to helping needy musicians
obtain treatment for drug and alcohol addiction, has served more than 1,500
individuals during the past decade.
Arnold is survived by his wife, his son Rob from a previous marriage, and a
sister, Elaine Weiner.
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