By dvdmike (68.72.170.61) on Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 09:22 pm:

Does anyone have any recollections about the late pianist/arranger?

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, July 28, 2003 - 01:10 pm:

Maybe Stubass can tell us about Ernie, especially since he arranged for Sinatra among others.

Ernie Freeman started his career as a session pianist in LA - his most memorable work was his piano intro on the Platters' "The Great Pretender".

He had his own Top Ten hit with the cover of Bill Justis' "Raunchy" before settling into a career as an arranger.

Freeman arranged, among others, "Strangers In The Night" for Frank Sinatra & Petula Clark's "This Is My Song". He also recorded an album of his hit arrangements for ABC/Dunhill Records in 1967.

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By STUBASS (64.12.97.7) on Monday, July 28, 2003 - 01:17 pm:

JUST SOME ANCIDOTAL INFO REGARDING ERNIE FREEMAN KEV!!!...I DO KNOW THAT HE RAN THE MUSIC FOR SINATRA'S REPRISE LABEL...WHERE HE WAS THE BATON MAN ON "STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT"!!!...HE ALSO WORKED WITH SIMON AND GARFUNKEL...ARRANGING "BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS"...AND WORKED WITH DEAN MARTIN ON I BELIEVE "EVERYBODY LOVES SOMEBODY SOMETIMES"!!!...I REALLY DON'T KNOW TOO MUCH MORE ABOUT THE LATE ERNIE FREEMAN...BUT OBVIOUSLY...THE GUY CARRIED SOME RESPECT AROUND THIS TOWN!!!...STUBASS

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, July 28, 2003 - 01:24 pm:

Stu:
Ernie did arrange Dino's "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometimes," which led to his work with Sinatra.
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By dvdmike (68.72.87.82) on Monday, July 28, 2003 - 09:13 pm:

He played piano on Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home To Me" and arranged for a number of Liberty Records artists such as Gene McDaniels, Bobby Vee and Johnny Burnette. In 1957, he recorded a successful version of Bill Doggett's "Raunchy".

By mhc (172.142.138.8) on Tuesday, July 29, 2003 - 12:52 am:

In Earl Palmer's great autobiography from a few years ago, "Backbeat", Earl offers some memories and impressions of Ernie Freeman. I loved Earl's book and recommend it to any R&B fan.