Herbig, Gary

Composer and multi-reed musician from Missoula, Montana, who began playing clarinet when he was in fifth grade and eventually added English horn, flute, oboe and saxophone to his arsenal of instruments. In junior high, he found himself performing with the Bluehawks, the jazz band at the University of Montana. He was gigging six nights per week at a place called the Top Hall while he was still attending high school. In 1966, he enrolled in UM on a scholarship and graduated in 1959. Then, he relocated to Los Angeles where he embarked on a staggering career as a session musician. At one time, he also toured with Elvis Presley.

In 1983, he participated in the Collier & Dean Cool Jazz Festival with vibraphonist Tom Collier and electric bassist Dan Dean.

He released a self-titled album in 1988 that was followed by Friends and Lovers and Montana Shooting Star.

Shortly after his eponymous debut hit the shelves, he followed it up with an appearance in the Grand Avenue Bar at the Biltmore Hotel, on 18^th April 1989.

In July 1998, he made his international debut with Miles Davis at the Montreaux Switzerland Jazz Festival.

He gave the world premiere of James Domine’s “Concerto Quasi Improvisando” with the San Fernando Valley Symphony at the Pierce College Performing Arts Center in December 2004.

On 8^th April 2007, UM bestowed upon him their lifetime achievement award.

He joined forces with the L.A. Wind Ensemble and Steven Piazza for a concert in Woodland Hills on 27^th September 2008.

On 30^th October 2008, he gave a live broadcast performance on The Dennis Bono Radio Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

He reprised Domine’s “Concerto Quasi Improvisando” and performed the Maestro’s “Tomahawk Suite” with the SFVS on 22^nd January 2011.

On 16^th May 2012, he and the rest of the Blues Bandits gave a concert in the Royal Room at the Canoga Park Bowl in Winnetka, California.

Gary’s discography is massive and he is purported to have played on more than 1000 recordings and this is but a handful of albums on which he has performed: Paul Anka’s Classic Songs: My Way; Debby Boone’s Choose Life; Bill Champlin’s Runaway; Cher’s Prisoner; Paulinho Da Costa’s Happy People; Dr. John’s Tango Palace; self-titled albums by David Foster and Russell Hitchcock; James Ingram’s Always You; The Jackson 5’s Triumph/Destiny; KC & the Sunshine Band’s 25^th Anniversary Edition; The Manhattan Transfer’s Bodies and Souls; Johnny Mathis’s Different Kind Different; Paul McCartney’s Pipes of Peace; Dolly Parton’s Dolly Dolly Dolly; Kenny Rogers’ Heart of the Matter; Neil Sedaka’s The Miracle of Christmas; Bob Seger’s Like a Rock; Michael Sembello’s Bossa Nova Hotel; The Spinners’ The Chrome Collection; Syreeta’s Set My Love in Motion; and, DenieceWilliams’ When Love Comes Calling.

He has performed solos on songs such as “Bad Girls”, “On the Radio” and “She Works Hard for the Money” by Donna Summer, “Physical” by Olivia Newton-John, “She’s Like the Wind” by Patrick Swayze and “Some Guys Have All the Luck” by Rod Stewart,

Soundtracks on which he can be heard include Back to the Future, Fatal Instinct, The Honeymooners, Jumpin’ Jack Flash, My Stepmother is an Alien, Once upon a Crime, PoliceAcademy, Romancing the Stone, St. Elmo’s Fire, That Darn Cat, Three Men and a Baby, and White Knights.

He is also all over the small screen, having played on theme songs from Alf, The Bold and the Beautiful, Cagney and Lacey, Cheers, Good Morning America, Happy Days, Home Improvement, Knots Landing, The New Dating Game, Roseanne, Showtime at the Apollo, and Three’s Company.

In the field of music education, he has given master classes at UM and high schools in the Missoula area.

Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams recordings
Emotion (Barry Gibb/Robin Gibb)
S CBS 6164B (UK 45)

Sources:

Herbig, Gary

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