Gene Puerling


Eugene Thomas Puerling was an American vocal performer and arranger. Puerling created and led two prominent vocal quartets, The Hi-Lo's and The Singers Unlimited. He was nominated for 14 Grammys and awarded the Grammy Award for Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices in 1982.

Early life, musical education and influences

Born in Milwaukee in 1929 to a family of musicians, Puerling had piano lessons but was a largely self-taught musician. A fan of vocal groups like Mel Torme's The Mel-Tones, the Modernaires and the Four Freshmen, Puerling formed a vocal of his own during this time, featuring baritone Bob Strasen who would become one of the original Hi-Lo's. After high school Puerling worked as a disc jockey in Milwaukee WI.

Move to Los Angeles, [The Hi-Lo's]

Moving to Los Angeles in 1950, Puerling got his start by singing on recordings of Les Baxter and Gordon Jenkins. Bandleader and film composer Jerry Fielding encouraged Puerling to arrange for voices and start his own group. Formed in 1952, Puerling's male vocal quartet began recording for the small Starlite label in 1953. Fielding's orchestra backed the Hi-Lo's on the first singles Peg O' My Heart and They Didn't Believe Me. The combination of Puerling's vocal quartet arrangements combined with Fielding instrumentals were innovative, a departure from earlier "block", pop style writing and arranging done for groups like the Andrews Sisters or the Modernaires.

Television and [Rosemary Clooney]

Gene Puerling's biggest break came as a writer and arranger in 1956; The Hi-Lo's were featured for one season on a new weekly, half-hour syndicated television musical-variety production The Rosemary Clooney Show. Puerling collaborated with Nelson Riddle who was hired as the musical director and orchestra conductor for the T.V. show. The show only lasted a year which featured The Hi-Lo's singing group and Nelson Riddle's orchestra before moving to NBC as The Lux Show with Frank DeVol and the Modernaires supplying the music. Due to their new national notoriety, during 1956/57 the vocal group was also signed to Columbia Records.
During late 1950's and early 1960's, the Hi-Lo's appeared on television with Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman and other stars and toured with Judy Garland. Puerling wrote and arranged for the Hi-Los releasing numerous singles and several albums for the Columbia label 1956 thru 1961; his collaboration with Les Brown's staff arranger Frank Comstock are most notable. Columbia discontinued the contract with the group and in 1962 the Hi-Lo's were signed to Sinatra's new Reprise record label. Puerling's vocal arrangements are featured on two Reprise releases of American folk songs and bossa nova music. His vocal arrangements can also be heard on commercial television advertisements during this time for Hertz Rent a Car, Muriel Cigars and other companies. The popularity and advent of rock 'n' roll hastened the Hi-Lo's split in late 1964; like other older, traditional vocal groups they had fallen out of vogue as a commercial entity. By that time, groups like The Beach Boys and The Beatles with much simpler vocal harmonies appealed to a younger generation of pop listeners.

Chicago, [The Singers Unlimited]

After the break up of the Hi-Los in 1964, Puerling moved to Chicago writing music for major advertisement firms. Puerling formed The Singers Unlimited in 1967 as a vocal group to sing and record his commercial writing for advertisement soundtracks. From this period on, Puerling would rarely perform live, focusing his attention on innovative studio arranging for voices and vocal groups; namely The Singers Unlimited. Other than Puerling singing himself, three other singers are heard on the vast majority of his vocal writing: Bonnie Herman, Don Shelton and Len Dressler. Shelton had been brought over from the Hi-Lo's. Herman had established herself as a first-call female, Chicago studio vocalist and can be heard on the State Farm Insurance jingle "Like a good Neighbor...". Dressler was another Chicago studio vocalist most known for his deep bass voice and heard on the Green Giant "Ho, ho, ho..." advertising campaign.
By 1968 recording engineer and jazz enthusiast Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer founded MPS Records in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. He had signed pianist Oscar Peterson to the label and eventually Peterson was Puerling's/The Singers Unlimited referral to Brunner-Schwer. Starting with the album a Capella in 1971, Puerling and the Singers Unlimited recorded 15 albums at MPS up through the early 1980's. Puerling would go on to earn 18 Grammy nominations for writing and arranging, primarily driven by his work with Singers Unlimited. His vocal arrangement for the Manhattan Transfer Mecca for Moderns album of A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square won the 1982 Grammy for Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices.

Multi-tracked vocals, recording innovation

With the advent of stereo recording and high level solid state technology, Puerling developed a whole new style of writing and arranging for multi voices. Much like experimentation happening with the Beach Boys or the Beatles and other pop groups of the time, he utilized new, multiple tracking methods to double/triple up the Singers Unlimited four voices creating a unique, homogeneous sound. His vocal arrangements and chord structures are instantly recognizable due to the experimentation he undertook over a 10 year period. Collaborations with instrumental arrangers/groups were done separately. All Singers Unlimited vocal tracks were recorded in Germany by Brunner-Schwer while instrumental tracks are recorded in Los Angeles or Toronto; Puerling and the group are only known to have performed live once.

Later life

Eventually Puerling moved to San Anselmo in Northern California. In the late 1970s, Puerling reunited the Hi-Lo's, with whom he recorded with and also performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival other jazz venues around the country. He taught workshops at the Marin County-based Harmony Sweepstakes. Gene Puerling died on March 25, 2008, due to complications from diabetes at 78 years of age near his home in Marin County, California. He was survived by his wife, Helen.

Legacy

In addition to the Hi-Lo's and The Singers Unlimited, Puerling has been directly influential on many singers and groups, including Jacob Collier and Take 6. John Neal of Harmony Sweepstakes said after Puerling's death: "As a craftsman of the art of blending and harmonizing the human voice in song, Gene has no equal." Other groups heavily influenced by Puerling include The King's Singers, First Call, Chanticleer, Glad, The Free Design, and Brian Wilson. In fall 2014, The University of North Texas College of Music and Music Library acquired the library of arrangements from Gene Puerling's estate.

Works (partial list)

Song titleSongwriterArranged for...Album PremiereSheet Music PublisherSheet Music Anthology
A Child Is BornThad JonesThe Singers Unlimited with Oscar PetersonIn Tune
A Foggy Day GershwinGladA Cappella Gershwin
A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley SquareManning SherwinManhattan TransferMecca For Moderns Hal Leonard
All The Things You AreJerome Kern / Oscar HammersteinThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella III
A Time For LoveThe Singers Unlimited & The Pat Williams OrchestraFeeling Free
Am I BlueGrant Clark, Harry AkstThe Gene Puerling Sound
Angel EyesThe Singers UnlimitedSentimental Journey
Anything GoesCole PorterThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella III
April In ParisE. Y. Harburg, Vernon DukeThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella II Shawnee PressThe Gene Puerling Sound
As Time Goes ByThe Singers UnlimitedSentimental Journey
Autumn In New YorkVernon DukeThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella II Shawnee PressThe Gene Puerling Sound
Both Sides NowJoni MitchellThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella
Brahms' LullabyJohannes BrahmsCantabile - The London QuartetMadrigal to McCartney
Breathe on Me, Breath of GodAcoustixO Worship The King
But BeautifulThe Singers Unlimited Invitation
But Not for MeGershwinGladA Cappella Gershwin
Button Up Your OvercoatCPP BelwinThe Best of Gene Puerling
CatherinePatrick WilliamsThe Singers Unlimited with Oscar PetersonIn Tune
CherryThe Singers Unlimited Invitation
Children's GameBilly Blanco, Antonio Carlos JobimThe Singers Unlimited with Oscar PetersonIn Tune
ClairGilbert O' SullivanThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella II
Dancing in the DarkHoward Dietz, Arthur SchwartzShawnee PressThe Gene Puerling Sound
Deck The HallTraditional Welsh CarolThe Singers UnlimitedChristmas Shawnee Press
Deep PurpleThe Singers UnlimitedSentimental Journey
Du Ar Det Vackra Jag Ser I Mitt LivReal GroupVarfor Far Man Inte Bara Vara Som Man Ar?--
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EctasyThe Singers Unlimited Invitation
Embraceable YouGladA Cappella Gershwin
EmilyJohnny MercerThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella Shawnee PressThe Sound of The Singers Unlimited
Fairest Lord JesusTrad. HymnGladAcapella Hymns
Feeling Free With Patrick BThe Singers Unlimited & The Pat Williams OrchestraFeeling Free
Foreign AffairTom WaitsThe Manhattan TransferExtensions Unpublished
Georgia On My MindHoagy CarmichaelHi-Lo'sCPP BelwinThe Best of Gene Puerling
Girl TalkBobby TroupThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella II
Green Dolphin StreetThe Singers Unlimited & The Pat Williams OrchestraFeeling Free
Have Yourself a Merry Little ChristmasThe Singers UnlimitedChristmas
Here, There And EverywhereLennon / McCartneyThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella Shawnee Press
Here's That Rainy DayJohnny Burke, Jimmy Van HeusenThe Singers Unlimited with Oscar PetersonIn Tune
How Beautiful is NightThe Singers UnlimitedSentimental Journey
I Don't Know Where I StandJoni MitchellThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella II
I Get Along Without You Very WellThe Singers UnlimitedSentimental Journey
I Wish You LoveCharles TrenetThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella III
I'll Never Smile AgainGold Company25
I'll Remember AprilThe Singers UnlimitedSentimental Journey
I'm Shadowing YouThe Singers Unlimited & The Pat Williams OrchestraFeeling Free
IfThe Singers UnlimitedFour of Us
If I Didn't CareThe Singers UnlimitedSentimental Journey
In the Still of the NightThe Singers UnlimitedSentimental Journey
Indian SummerAl Dubin, Victor HerbertThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella II Shawnee PressThe Gene Puerling Sound
InvitationThe Singers Unlimited Invitation
It Came Upon a Midnight ClearThe Singers UnlimitedChristmas
It Could Happen to YouThe Singers UnlimitedFour of Us
It Never Entered My MindLorenz Hart, Richard RodgersThe Singers Unlimited with Oscar PetersonIn Tune
Ja DaThe Singers Unlimited & The Pat Williams OrchestraFeeling Free
Jeanie With The Light Brown HairStephen FosterThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella IIIChanticleer Silver Jubilee Anthology
Jennifer's RabbitThe Singers UnlimitedFour of Us
Johnny One NoteP.M. SingersJubilee
Just In TimeSoundsationSugar & Spice
Killing Me Softly with His SongFox / GimballThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella II
Let There Be LoveThe Singers Unlimited Invitation
London By NightCarol CoatesThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella
Look AroundThe Singers UnlimitedFour of Us
Lost In The StarsKurt WeillThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella II Chanticleer Silver Jubilee Anthology
Love Is Here To StayGeorge & Ira GershwinThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella III
Love Walked InChanticleerOur American Journey
LullabyGene PuerlingThe Singers UnlimitedThe Complete A Cappella SessionsA Capella
MichelleLennon / McCartneyThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella Shawnee Press
Mona LisaThe Singers UnlimitedSentimental Journey
More I Cannot Wish YouFrank LoesserThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella
My One and Only LoveThe Singers Unlimited Invitation
My RomanceRichard Rodgers / Lorenz HartThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella II
My ShipThe Singers UnlimitedFour of Us Shawnee PressThe Sound of The Singers Unlimited
Nature BoyEden AhbezThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella II
On a Clear DayThe Singers Unlimited & The Pat Williams OrchestraFeeling Free Shawnee PressThe Sound of The Singers Unlimited
Once Upon a SummertimeEddie Barclay, Michel Legrand, Eddy Marnay, Johnny MercerThe Singers Unlimited with Oscar PetersonIn Tune
One More Time Chuck CoreaGene PuerlingThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella III
Over the RainbowAlfred
Put Your Dreams Away for Another DayThe Singers UnlimitedSentimental Journey
Rockin' ChairCPP BelwinThe Best of Gene Puerling
Sentimental JourneyThe Singers UnlimitedSentimental Journey
Sesame StreetThe Singers Unlimited with Oscar PetersonIn Tune
Silent NightFranz Xaver GruberThe Singers UnlimitedChristmas Shawnee Press
Since You AskedJudy CollinsThe Singers UnlimitedThe Complete A Cappella SessionsA Capella
SkylarkThe Singers Unlimited & The Pat Williams OrchestraFeeling Free
Sleepy Time GalThe Singers UnlimitedSentimental Journey
SnowfallG. ThornhillThe Singers UnlimitedFour of Us Shawnee Press
So Many StarsThe Singers Unlimited & The Pat Williams OrchestraFeeling Free
Someone To Light Up My LifeJobinThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella III
Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless ChildTraditionalThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella III
Soon It's Gonna RainThe Singers UnlimitedFour of Us
Spring Is HereThe Singers Unlimited Invitation
StardustHoagy CarmichealVocal MajorityI'll Be Seeing You
Sweet LorraineBurwell / ParishThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella III
Swing Low, Sweet ChariotAcoustixO Worship The King
The Christmas SongMel Torme / Robert WellsNotre Dame Glee ClubIn Dulci Jubilo
The Christmas SongMel Torme / Robert WellsSingers Unlimited? Voice Trek? Chanticleer?The Spirit Of ChristmasHal Leonard
The EntertainerScott JoplinThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella III
The Fool On The HillLennon / McCartneyThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella Hal Leonard
The Gentle RainLuiz Bonfá, Matt DubeyThe Singers Unlimited with Oscar PetersonIn Tune
The More I See YouThe Singers UnlimitedSentimental Journey
The Shadow of Your SmileJohnny Mandel, Paul Francis WebsterThe Singers Unlimited with Oscar PetersonIn Tune CPP BelwinThe Best of Gene Puerling
The Way We WereMarvin HamlischThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella III
Through The YearsAmbassadors of HarmonyApplause
Try To RememberTom Jones / Harvey SchmidtThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella Shawnee PressThe Sound of The Singers Unlimited
UnforgettableAcoustixAll The Best
UnforgettableAcoustixJazz, Jazz, Jazz
Violets for Your FursThe Singers Unlimited Invitation
WaveThe Singers Unlimited Invitation
We Could Be FlyingThe Singers Unlimited Invitation
We've Only Just BegunRoger NicholsThe Singers UnlimitedFour of Us Shawnee PressThe Sound of The Singers Unlimited
What Are You Doing for the Rest of Your Life?Real GroupGet Real & Unreal
Where Is Love?The Singers UnlimitedFour of Us Shawnee PressThe Sound of The Singers Unlimited
Where Is the LoveThe Singers Unlimited & The Pat Williams OrchestraFeeling Free
While We're YoungWilder / PalitzGold CompanyWhile We're Young
YesterdayLennon / McCartneyThe Singers UnlimitedA Capella II Shawnee Press
You Are the Sunshine of My LifeThe Singers Unlimited & The Pat Williams OrchestraFeeling Free
You Made Me Love YouJames V. MonacoBeachfront PropertyBeachfront Property
You've Got a FriendThe Singers UnlimitedFour of Us -