Arthur Jacob Arshawsky, later known as Artie Shaw, was born on May 23, 1910, in New York City. At just 13 years old, Shaw learned to play the saxophone. When he turned 16, he switched to the clarinet and left home to play with a band. He is credited to be one of the artists who introduced swing music in USA between 1935 and 1945.
Leading the Orchestra
Shaw was a part of several orchestras before finally leading one in 1936 in the first-ever swing concert. A few days later, the musician recorded a song called ‘Begin the Beguine’, which became a runaway hit. The song’s success catapulted him to new heights and Shaw was dubbed the ‘King of Swing’. Even today, thousands of copies of the song are sold each year, making it one of the most popular records ever created. Swing music radio stations all over the world still broadcast Begin the Beguine. Â
In 1940, Shaw started a smaller band within his band, similar to other competing orchestras of that time. He named this smaller band Artie Shaw and the Gramercy Five, in reference to his home’s telephone exchange. The band managed to deliver a million-selling single named Summit Ridge Drive. However, the famous musician, credited with popularizing swing music in USA, decided to dissolve the band in 1941, after just a year.
Artie Shaw had a habit of forming bands for a very short tenure, after which he used to dissolve them. Furthermore, post-1939, he seldom toured the country and performed with his orchestra. During these sabbaticals, he devoted time to his other passion - the pursuit of knowledge. According to The Riemann Hypothesis by Karl Sabbagh, Shaw studied advanced mathematics during his free time.
Life During and After the War
During World War II, Shaw got enlisted into the United States Navy. He formed a band and entertained the personnel stationed in the Pacific theatre. During the 18 months he was stationed there, Shaw played at concerts every day. Some days, he had to hold up to 4 concerts, making it a very hectic time for the musician. When he returned to the States, he was discharged from the Navy due to his immense physical exhaustion.
Post the Second World War, Shaw gravitated toward writing.
He worked on his autobiography named The Trouble of Cinderella: An Outline of Identity. The other works included ‘I Love You’, ‘I Hate You’ and ‘Drop Dead!’ His 1000-page novel titled ‘The Education of Albie Snow’ remained unpublished.
Artie Shaw married 8 times, out of which two were annulled and the remaining ended in divorce. Lana Turner and Ava Gardner, former wives of Shaw, later claimed that the musician was emotionally abusive and had a controlling nature, which led to the frequent separation and divorce. Â
The birth of the Artie Shaw Orchestra
In 1954, Artie Shaw decided to retire from the stage. For almost 30 years, the great musician lived a private life with no new works. However, in 1983, he led to the formation of the Artie Shaw Orchestra. Shaw did not perform but rather allowed Dick Johnson to lead and play the clarinet in the band. Johnson went on to lead the band for 25 years, till 2008. After Johnson’s retirement, Matt Koza took the helm and is currently leading the Artie Shaw Orchestra. The Curtis Management of Boston was selected to manage the affairs of the newly-formed band.
Death
Shaw was felicitated with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammy’s in 2004 for his immense contribution to the collection of big band and swing music. In his later years, Shaw lived in Thousand Oaks, California. On December 30, 2004, the 94-year old musician passed away at his residence. His publicist claimed that Shaw had been ill before his death, but could not comment on the exact cause of his passing. It was later revealed that Arties Shaw suffered from diabetes, which was ultimately responsible for his demise.