Jimmy Hilliard

American big-band alto-saxophonist, clarinettist, songwriter and producer who later worked as an A&R executive and producer for Warner Bros. Records.
Born February 1908 in New Jersey, USA.
Died May 04, 1982 (aged 74) in Los Angeles County, California, USA.
Hilliard produced hundreds of recordings and some hit singles and albums of varying genres for artists such as Jimmy Durante, Barbara McNair, Allan Sherman, Bill Cosby and Tom Lehrer.
He was the leader of the CBS studio band. He attended Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he began his musical career in society bands, later joining jazz pianist Charlie Sansone's Orchestra. Hilliard did arrangements for Red Nichols & Vincent Lopez. In 1929, with the Vagabonds, Hilliard started to do arrangements for Duke Ellington. He arranged but also was a copyist who transcribed scores for Ellington, Jack Crawford and others.
The pseudonym "Tommy George" was the names of his two sons and the pseudonym "Virginia Jirik" was the name of his wife, who he wooed with a wail when she danced in a Chicago night club.