Stan Freeman

Stan Freeman (April 3, 1920 – January 13, 2001) was an American composer, lyricist, pianist, musical arranger, conductor, and studio musician, as well as a Broadway book writer. He was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, where he began his musical education before earning a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Hartford. Following his World War II service, Freeman joined Tex Beneke's big band, and later transitioned to performing as a pianist and comic in nightclub settings.

Freeman's studio work brought him into sessions alongside some of the most prominent recording artists of the mid-twentieth century, including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Charlie Parker, Mabel Mercer, Percy Faith, and Rosemary Clooney. For Clooney, he played harpsichord on her hit recording "Come on-a My House," and he also contributed harpsichord to Faith's "Delicado," which reached number one on the charts in 1952.

His Broadway career began with the 1964 musical I Had a Ball, a vehicle for comedian Buddy Hackett for which Freeman served as book writer. He returned to Broadway in 1970 as both composer and book writer for Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen, a musical adaptation of The Teahouse of the August Moon that had a short run. Beyond these writing credits, Freeman conducted Broadway concerts for Marlene Dietrich in 1967 and 1968, and later provided arrangements for three of Michael Feinstein's Broadway productions.

Freeman received a Drama Desk Award nomination in 1992 for Outstanding Solo Performance/One Person Show for At Wit's End, a tribute to Oscar Levant. His television work included composing special musical material for Carol Burnett and Mary Tyler Moore. He shared an Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Special Musical Material with Arthur Malvin for the mini-musical Hi-Hat, performed by Burnett with guest Fred Astaire on the January 8, 1978 episode of her television variety series.

Freeman's solo discography includes Piano Sweethearts, Piano Moods, Come on-a Stan's House: Stan Freeman at the Harpsichord, Fascination, Manhattan, At the Blue Angel, and Everybody's Twistin'. He died of emphysema in Los Angeles, California at the age of 80.