McCreary, Lew (9th July 192

He was a trombonist born Lewis Melvin McCreary in Northumberland, Pennsylvania who became a musician and started out performing, sometimes as a fill-in, in dance bands during the 1940s while still at high school. He did his military service in 1945 and undertook studies at Berklee School of Music.

He played with many big bands before relocating to Los Angeles, California and after his arrival there became a staff musician at CBS in Hollywood and also at the radio show Matinee.

When here he became a much sought-after session musician on recordings as well as on TV shows that include The Donnie &Marie Show, Name That Tune, The Simpsons and The Sonny and Cher Show. He became one of the first musicians on Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound” and performed the solo trombone on “A Taste of Honey” by the Tijuana Brass as part of The Wrecking Crew.

The artists he recorded with during his career were numerous and include David Axelrod, the Baja Marimba Band, Teresa Brewer, Vikki Carr, Stanley Clarke, Nat King Cole, Michel Colombier, Count Basie, Bobby Caldwell, Larry Carlton, Bobby Darin, Sammy Davis Jr., Doris Day, Duane Eddy, Sheena Easton, Jose Feliciano, The 5th Dimension, Pete Fountain, The Four Tops, Bobbie Gentry, Dizzy Gillespie, Harpers Bizarre, Bill Holman, James Newton Howard, Julio Iglesias, Etta James, Harry James, Jack Jones, Peggie Lee, Cheryl Lynn, Melissa Manchester, Dean Martin, Billy May, Liza Minnelli, Carmen McRae, Bette Midler, The Monkees, Maria Muldaur, Rick Nelson, Michael Nesmith, Maxine Nightingale, Harry Nilsson, Michael Omartian, The Partridge Family, The Platters, Paul Revere & The Raiders, Lee Ritenour, Seals & Crofts, Del Shannon, The Temptations, Toni Tennille, Bob Thiele, Ike & Tina Turner, Stanley Turrentine and Mason Williams.

The catalogue of recordings he can be heard runs into the hundreds but a select few of them include Christmas Album by Air Supply, Just You and Me by Herb Alpert, Shine by Average White Band, Continuation by Philip Bailey, The Pet Sound Sessions by The Beach Boys, City Life/Unfinished Business by The Blackbyrds, Dreamer by Bobby “Blue” Bland, Cerrone V: Angelina by Cerrone, Windsong by Randy Crawford, Rhinestone Cowboy by Glen Campbell, Hard Times for Lovers by Judy Collins, Rita Coolidge by Rita Coolidge, Christopher Cross by Christopher Cross, Dingo by Miles Davis and Michel Legrand, Beautiful Noise by Neil Diamond, Slow Down World by Donovan, Guardian of the Light by George Duke, Raise! by Earth, Wind and Fire, Rejoice by The Emotions, The Everly Brothers Sing by The Everly Brothers, Now Voyager by Barry Gibb, Hexagram 16 by Russ Giguere, The Concert for Bangladesh by George Harrison, I’ve Got the Music in Me by Thelma Houston, Priority by The Imperials, Always You by James Ingram, As Easy as 1-2-3 by Jan & Dean, Jarreau by Al Jarreau, Q: The Musical Biography of Quincy Jones by Quincy Jones, Darlin’ by Tom Jones, Patti Labelle by Patti Labelle, Mancini Salutes Sousa by Henry Mancini, Rhapsody in Blue by Walter Murphy, The Rumour by Olivia Newton John, The Essential Laura Nyro by Laura Nyro, Jeffrey Osborne by Jeffrey Osborne, I Believe: The Gospel Masters by Elvis Presley, For You My Love by Lou Rawls, Building the Bridge by REO Speedwagon, Lionel Richie by Lionel Richie, Masterjam by Rufus and Chaka Khan, Bet Cha Say That to All the Girls by Sister Sledge, L.A. Is My Lady by Frank Sinatra, Boots by Nancy Sinatra, Back to Mono (1958-1969) by Phil Spector, Goodnight Vienna by Ringo Starr, Pretzel Logic by Steely Dan, Songs of New York by Mel Torme, Solid Zinc: The Turtles Anthology by The Turtles, Love at First Sight by Dionne Warwick and The Wrecking Crew by The Wrecking Crew along with countless compilations and collections.

He died of cholangiocarcinoma in Tarzana, California in January 1999 when he was 71 years old.

Glen Campbell recordings
Hollywood Smiles (Larry Weiss)
Capitol Records 1A 006 86273

Sources:

McCreary, Lew (9th July 1927-19th January 1999)

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