The answer to our Who Wore It Wednesday is Conte Candoli. Throughout his career, Conte played trumpet in the bands of Woody Herman, Chubby Jackson, Stan Kenton, Charlie Ventura, and even his own.

In 1967, Conte began making occasional appearances with Doc Severinson’s band on the Tonight Show. When Johnny Carson moved the show from New York to California, in 1972, Conte became a permanent fixture. He played for the band until 1992 when Johnny Carson retired. </p><p>Candoli also consistently had studio work, often backing artists like Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. He would also often work with his brother, Pete.

Sources

Photograph Courtesy of the Conte Candoli papers, IJC MG 17