Chuck Cabot

Personal

Vocation

Mexican-American saxophonist and big band leader who launched The Chuck Cabot Orchestra in 1937 after he finished studies at the University of Southern California. His orchestra played to capacity crowds in the 1940s and 1950s in ballrooms such as Roseland in New York, the Palladium in Hollywood, and the Catalina Island Casino. Cascales was also a member of the legendary UCLA 1939 football team along with Jackie Robinson, Kenny Washington, and Woody Strode and, in the early 1940s, athletic coach at El Monte, Jefferson, and Hamilton High Schools. He co-partnered with Arthur Benson in the forming of Hollywood International Talents. He was instrumental in discovering and securing recording contracts for 'Los Nomadas,' the first inter-racial rock and roll band. He recognized the individual talents of the band's lead guitarist Bill Aken. (Adopted son of Cabot's friends Francisco & Lupe Mayorga) Changing Aken's name to 'Zane Ashton,' he was instrumental in launching the young singer/guitarist's solo career. He lived long enough to see his young protege inducted into the Musician's Hall of Fame as a member of 'The Wrecking Crew' in November, 2007. Beginning in the 1960s until shortly before his death, Cascales booked performances for The Coasters, The Drifters, and The Shirelles. He also organized the Rolling Stones' first West Coast concert tour. Cabot and His Orchestra recorded on the Atomic label in Hollywood in the 1940s. His brothers, Johnny Richards, Jose Luis Cascales (Joe), and Juan Adolfo Cascales (Jack) were also professional musicians. He died on 27 December 2007, aged 92. Link to Wikipedia biography