He was an orchestra leader, conductor, arranger and songwriter born in New York City who studied at New York University.
In the latter half of the 1950s he worked for Jubilee Records as an A&R man and then went to work for the company Muzak, which supplied “elevator music”, in the 1960s.
He was hired by RCA to be a staff composer and during his years there he also worked as an arranger and producer, often uncredited, on several of the albums put out on their Camden label.
He formed Sid Bass & His Orchestra and released several albums, and also conducted and led the orchestra for several other artists on single releases such as The Four Esquires on their “Repeat After Me” in 1958, The Four Seasons on their “Sherry” in 1962 and Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler on his chart topping ” Ballad of the Green Berets” in 1966.
The many album recordings he has appeared on as a conductor/arranger include his own Bells are Swinging, Blue Bells, From Another World, Moog Espana and Sound and Fury as well as the compilations Doo Wop Box, From This Moment On: The Songs of Cole Porter, Rockin‘ Is Not Our Business!, Top Hits of the ’60s: Coolest Hits and Yuletide Soiree Party Pack to name a few.
Other artists he is known to have recorded albums with are Ed Ames, Paul Anka, Harry Belafonte, Connie Francis, Al Hirt , Miriam Makeba, and Frankie Valli among others, as well as the DVD Treasury of Christmas by Thomas Kinkade.
As a composer/songwriter his songs include “The Old Soft Shoe” which was recorded by Dinah Shore, “Danger (Soft Shoulders)” by The Orioles, “Jungle Bells” by The Four Seasons and “My Mommy Sent Me to the Store” by Fats Waller.
In 1993 he passed away in Putney, Vermont, when he was 80 years old.
Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler recordings
Ballad of the Green Berets (Robin Moore/Barry Sadler)
RCA Victor 47-8739 (US 45)
Conductor/Arranger – Sid Bass
Here’s his spacy take on “Stormy Weather” off the 1956 album, From Another World…
Sources:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sid_Bass_%28songwriter%29
- http://www.discogs.com/release/1314361
- http://www.discogs.com/release/1326844
- http://www.discogs.com/release/985950
- http://www.discogs.com/release/747787
- http://www.spaceagepop.com/bass.htm
- http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.120659
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=SID|BASS&samples=1&sql=11:3cfwxqe5ldfe~T32
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=SID|BASS&samples=1&sql=11:3cfwxqe5ldfe~T4