Carl Hilding "Doc" Severinsen (born July 7, 1927) is an American jazz
trumpeter who led the band for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny
Carson.Severinsen was born in Arlington, Oregon, to Minnie Mae
(1897â€"1998) and Carl Severinsen (1898â€"1972). He was nicknamed Doc
after his father, the only dentist in Arlington, who was born in
Germany to a Danish father and a Swiss mother. Severinsen's father
played violin and wanted him to play it as well, but Severinsen wanted
to play trombone. Because his arms were not long enough for trombone,
and the small Arlington music store had none available, he settled for
the cornet. A neighbor gave him some help on how to play, while his
father, tobacco in mouth, instructed him to spit out the notes like
spitting tobacco. His mother threatened to spank him if he didn't
practice.Severinsen was born in Arlington, Oregon, to Minnie Mae
(1897â€"1998) and Carl Severinsen (1898â€"1972). He was nicknamed Doc
after his father, the only dentist in Arlington, who was born in
Germany to a Danish father and a Swiss mother. Severinsen's father
played violin and wanted him to play it as well, but Severinsen wanted
to play trombone. Because his arms were not long enough for trombone,
and the small Arlington music store had none available, he settled for
the cornet. A neighbor gave him some help on how to play, while his
father, tobacco in mouth, instructed him to spit out the notes like
spitting tobacco. His mother threatened to spank him if he didn't
practice.Severinsen proved to have a knack for the instrument, and was
in a high school band when he was seven. At nine, he won a state
trumpet contest, at thirteen, he joined a multi-state all-star band,
and at fourteen he auditioned for Tommy Dorsey but wasn't hired. He
started a quartet called the Blue Notes that performed at local
dances.Before graduating from high school, he was hired to go on the
road with the Ted Fio Rito Orchestra. After graduation, he went on
tour with Charlie Barnet, Tommy Dorsey, and Benny Goodman. He was
drafted by the Army during World War II. In 1946, he played trumpet on
radio station KODL. Doc Severinsen Top Movies & Young Movies