# Gene Puerling

Eugene Thomas Puerling (March 31, 1929 – March 25, 2008) was an American vocal performer and arranger. Puerling created and led two prominent vocal quartets, The Hi-Lo's and The Singers Unlimited. He was nominated for 14 Grammys and awarded the Grammy Award for Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices in 1982.

## Early life, musical education and influences

Born in Milwaukee in 1929 to a family of musicians, Puerling had piano lessons but was a largely self-taught musician. A fan of vocal groups like Mel Torme's The Mel-Tones, the Modernaires and the Four Freshmen, Puerling formed a vocal of his own during this time (The Shades), featuring baritone Bob Strasen who would become one of the original Hi-Lo's. After high school Puerling worked as a disc jockey in Milwaukee WI.

## Move to Los Angeles, The Hi-Lo's

Moving to Los Angeles in 1950, Puerling got his start by singing on recordings of Les Baxter and Gordon Jenkins. Bandleader and film composer Jerry Fielding encouraged Puerling to arrange for voices and start his own group. Formed in 1952, Puerling's male vocal quartet (The Hi-Lo's) began recording for the small Starlite label in 1953 (became Trend Records and then Trend/Discovery). Fielding's orchestra backed the Hi-Lo's on the first singles Peg O' My Heart and They Didn't Believe Me. The combination of Puerling's vocal quartet arrangements combined with Fielding instrumentals were innovative, a departure from earlier "block", pop style writing and arranging done for groups like the Andrews Sisters or the Moderniares.

### Television and Rosemary Clooney

Gene Puerling's biggest break came as a writer and arranger in 1956; The Hi-Lo's were featured for one season on a new weekly, half-hour syndicated television musical-variety production The Rosemary Clooney Show. Puerling collaborated with Nelson Riddle who was hired as the musical director and orchestra conductor for the T.V. show. The show only lasted a year which featured The Hi-Lo's singing group and Nelson Riddle's orchestra before moving to NBC as The Lux Show with Frank DeVol and the Modernaires supplying the music. Due to their new national notoriety, during 1956/57 the vocal group was also signed to Columbia Records.
During late 1950's and early 1960's, the Hi-Lo's appeared on television with Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman and other stars and toured with Judy Garland. Puerling wrote and arranged for the Hi-Los releasing numerous singles and several albums for the Columbia label 1956 thru 1961; his collaboration with Les Brown's staff arranger Frank Comstock are most notable. Columbia discontinued the contract with the group and in 1962 the Hi-Lo's were signed to Sinatra's new Reprise record label. Puerling's vocal arrangements are featured on two Reprise releases of American folk songs and bossa nova music. His vocal arrangements can also be heard on commercial television advertisements during this time for Hertz Rent a Car, Muriel Cigars and other companies. The popularity and advent of rock 'n' roll hastened the Hi-Lo's split in late 1964; like other older, traditional vocal groups they had fallen out of vogue as a commercial entity. By that time, groups like The Beach Boys and The Beatles with much simpler vocal harmonies appealed to a younger generation of pop listeners.

## Chicago, The Singers Unlimited

After the break up of the Hi-Los in 1964, Puerling moved to Chicago writing music for major advertisement firms. Puerling formed The Singers Unlimited in 1967 as a vocal group to sing and record his commercial writing for advertisement soundtracks. From this period on, Puerling would rarely perform live, focusing his attention on innovative studio arranging for voices and vocal groups; namely The Singers Unlimited. Other than Puerling singing himself, three other singers are heard on the vast majority of his vocal writing: Bonnie Herman, Don Shelton and Len Dressler. Shelton had been brought over from the Hi-Lo's. Herman had established herself as a first-call female, Chicago studio vocalist and can be heard on the State Farm Insurance jingle "Like a good Neighbor..." (composed by Barry Manilow). Dressler was another Chicago studio vocalist most known for his deep bass voice and heard on the Green Giant "Ho, ho, ho..." advertising campaign.
By 1968 recording engineer and jazz enthusiast Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer founded MPS Records in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. He had signed pianist Oscar Peterson to the label and eventually Peterson was Puerling's/The Singers Unlimited referral to Brunner-Schwer. Starting with the album a Capella in 1971, Puerling and the Singers Unlimited recorded 15 albums at MPS up through the early 1980's. Puerling would go onto earn 18 Grammy nominations for writing and arranging, primarily driven by his work with Singers Unlimited. His vocal arrangement for the Manhattan Transfer Mecca for Moderns album of A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square won the 1982 Grammy for Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices.

### Multi-tracked vocals, recording innovation

With the advent of stereo recording and high level solid state technology, Puerling developed a whole new style of writing and arranging for multi voices. Much like experimentation happening with the Beach Boys or the Beatles and other pop groups of the time, he utilized new, multiple tracking methods to double/triple up the Singers Unlimited four voices creating a unique, homogeneous sound. His vocal arrangements and chord structures are instantly recognizable due to the experimentation he undertook over a 10 year period (through the 1970s). Collaborations with instrumental arrangers/groups were done separately. All Singers Unlimited vocal tracks were recorded in Germany by Brunner-Schwer while instrumental tracks are recorded in Los Angeles or Toronto; Puerling and the group are only known to have performed live once.

## Later life

Eventually Puerling moved to San Anselmo in Northern California. In the late 1970s, Puerling reunited the Hi-Lo's, with whom he recorded with and also performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival other jazz venues around the country. He taught workshops at the Marin County-based Harmony Sweepstakes. Gene Puerling passed away on March 25, 2008 due to complications from diabetes at 78 years of age near his home in Marin County, California. He was survived by his wife, Helen.

## Legacy

In addition to the Hi-Lo's and The Singers Unlimited, Puerling has been directly influential on many singers and groups, including Jacob Collier and Take 6. John Neal of Harmony Sweepstakes said after Puerling's death: "As a craftsman of the art of blending and harmonizing the human voice in song, Gene has no equal." Other groups heavily influenced by Puerling include The King's Singers, First Call, Chanticleer, Glad (band), The Free Design, and Brian Wilson. In fall 2014, The University of North Texas College of Music and Music Library acquired the library of arrangements from Gene Puerling's estate.

## Works (partial list)

Vocal Jazz Arrangements by Gene Puerling (a partial list) :
| Song Title | Songwriter(s) | Arranged for... | Album Premiere | Sheet Music Publisher | Sheet Music Anthology |
| A Child Is Born | Thad Jones | The Singers Unlimited with Oscar Peterson | In Tune (1973) | | |
| A Foggy Day (In London Town) | Gershwin | Glad | A Cappella Gershwin (1995) | | |
| A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square | Manning Sherwin | Manhattan Transfer | Mecca For Moderns (1981) | Hal Leonard | |
| All The Things You Are | Jerome Kern / Oscar Hammerstein | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella III | | |
| A Time For Love | | The Singers Unlimited & The Pat Williams Orchestra | Feeling Free (1975) | | |
| Am I Blue | Grant Clark, Harry Akst | | | | The Gene Puerling Sound |
| Angel Eyes | | The Singers Unlimited | Sentimental Journey (1976) | | |
| Anything Goes | Cole Porter | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella III | | |
| April In Paris | E. Y. Harburg, Vernon Duke | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella II (1975) | Shawnee Press | The Gene Puerling Sound |
| As Time Goes By | | The Singers Unlimited | Sentimental Journey (1976) | | |
| Autumn In New York | Vernon Duke | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella II (1975) | Shawnee Press | The Gene Puerling Sound |
| Both Sides Now | Joni Mitchell | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella (1972) | | |
| Brahms' Lullaby | Johannes Brahms | Cantabile - The London Quartet | Madrigal to McCartney | | |
| Breathe on Me, Breath of God | | Acoustix | O Worship The King | | |
| But Beautiful | | The Singers Unlimited (with...) | Invitation (1974) | | |
| But Not for Me | Gershwin | Glad | A Cappella Gershwin (1995) | | |
| Button Up Your Overcoat | | | | CPP Belwin | The Best of Gene Puerling |
| Catherine | Patrick Williams | The Singers Unlimited with Oscar Peterson | In Tune (1973) | | |
| Cherry | | The Singers Unlimited (with...) | Invitation (1974) | | |
| Children's Game | Billy Blanco, Antonio Carlos Jobim | The Singers Unlimited with Oscar Peterson | In Tune (1973) | | |
| Clair | Gilbert O' Sullivan | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella II (1975) | | |
| Dancing in the Dark | Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz | | | Shawnee Press | The Gene Puerling Sound |
| Deck The Hall | Traditional Welsh Carol | The Singers Unlimited | Christmas (1972) | Shawnee Press | |
| Deep Purple | | The Singers Unlimited | Sentimental Journey (1976) | | |
| Du Ar Det Vackra Jag Ser I Mitt Liv | | Real Group | Varfor Far Man Inte Bara Vara Som Man Ar? |
| Ectasy | | The Singers Unlimited (with...) | Invitation (1974) | | |
| Embraceable You | | Glad | A Cappella Gershwin (1995) | | |
| Emily | Johnny Mercer | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella (1972) | Shawnee Press | The Sound of The Singers Unlimited |
| Fairest Lord Jesus | Trad. Hymn | Glad | Acapella Hymns | | |
| Feeling Free With Patrick B | | The Singers Unlimited & The Pat Williams Orchestra | Feeling Free (1975) | | |
| Foreign Affair | Tom Waits | The Manhattan Transfer | Extensions (The Manhattan Transfer album) | Unpublished | |
| Georgia On My Mind | Hoagy Carmichael | Hi-Lo's | | CPP Belwin | The Best of Gene Puerling |
| Girl Talk | Bobby Troup | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella II (1975) | | |
| Green Dolphin Street | | The Singers Unlimited & The Pat Williams Orchestra | Feeling Free (1975) | | |
| Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas | | The Singers Unlimited | Christmas (1972) | | |
| Here, There And Everywhere | Lennon / McCartney | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella (1972) | Shawnee Press | |
| Here's That Rainy Day | Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen | The Singers Unlimited with Oscar Peterson | In Tune (1973) | | |
| How Beautiful is Night | | The Singers Unlimited | Sentimental Journey (1976) | | |
| I Don't Know Where I Stand | Joni Mitchell | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella II (1975) | | |
| I Get Along Without You Very Well | | The Singers Unlimited | Sentimental Journey (1976) | | |
| I Wish You Love | Charles Trenet | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella III | | |
| I'll Never Smile Again | | Gold Company | 25 | | |
| I'll Remember April | | The Singers Unlimited | Sentimental Journey (1976) | | |
| I'm Shadowing You | | The Singers Unlimited & The Pat Williams Orchestra | Feeling Free (1975) | | |
| If | | The Singers Unlimited | Four of Us (1973) | | |
| If I Didn't Care | | The Singers Unlimited | Sentimental Journey (1976) | | |
| In the Still of the Night | | The Singers Unlimited | Sentimental Journey (1976) | | |
| Indian Summer | Al Dubin, Victor Herbert | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella II (1975) | Shawnee Press | The Gene Puerling Sound |
| Invitation | | The Singers Unlimited (with...) | Invitation (1974) | | |
| It Came Upon a Midnight Clear | | The Singers Unlimited | Christmas (1972) | | |
| It Could Happen to You | | The Singers Unlimited | Four of Us (1973) | | |
| It Never Entered My Mind | Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers | The Singers Unlimited with Oscar Peterson | In Tune (1973) | | |
| Ja Da | | The Singers Unlimited & The Pat Williams Orchestra | Feeling Free (1975) | | |
| Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair | Stephen Foster | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella III | | Chanticleer Silver Jubilee Anthology (pub. Hinshaw Music) |
| Jennifer's Rabbit | | The Singers Unlimited | Four of Us (1973) | | |
| Johnny One Note | | P.M. Singers | Jubilee | | |
| Just In Time | | Soundsation | Sugar & Spice | | |
| Killing Me Softly with His Song | Fox / Gimball | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella II (1975) | | |
| Let There Be Love | | The Singers Unlimited (with...) | Invitation (1974) | | |
| Like Someone In Love | Van Huesen / Burke | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella II 1975) | | |
| London By Night | Carol Coates | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella (1972) | | |
| Look Around | | The Singers Unlimited | Four of Us (1973) | | |
| Lost In The Stars | Kurt Weill | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella II (1975) | | Chanticleer Silver Jubilee Anthology (pub. Hinshaw Music) |
| Love Is Here To Stay | George & Ira Gershwin | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella III | | |
| Love Walked In | | Chanticleer | Our American Journey | | |
| Lullaby | Gene Puerling | The Singers Unlimited | The Complete A Cappella Sessions | A Capella (1972) | |
| Michelle | Lennon / McCartney | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella (1972) | Shawnee Press | |
| Mona Lisa | | The Singers Unlimited | Sentimental Journey (1976) | | |
| More I Cannot Wish You | Frank Loesser | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella (1972) | | |
| My One and Only Love | | The Singers Unlimited (with...) | Invitation (1974) | | |
| My Romance | Richard Rodgers / Lorenz Hart | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella II (1972) | | |
| My Ship | | The Singers Unlimited | Four of Us (1973) | Shawnee Press | The Sound of The Singers Unlimited |
| Nature Boy | Eden Ahbez | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella II (1972) | | |
| On a Clear Day | | The Singers Unlimited & The Pat Williams Orchestra | Feeling Free (1975) | Shawnee Press | The Sound of The Singers Unlimited |
| Once Upon a Summertime | Eddie Barclay, Michel Legrand, Eddy Marnay, Johnny Mercer | The Singers Unlimited with Oscar Peterson | In Tune (1973) | | |
| One More Time Chuck Corea | Gene Puerling | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella III | | |
| Over the Rainbow | | | | Alfred | |
| Put Your Dreams Away for Another Day | | The Singers Unlimited | Sentimental Journey (1976) | | |
| Rockin' Chair | | | | CPP Belwin | The Best of Gene Puerling |
| Sentimental Journey | | The Singers Unlimited | Sentimental Journey (1976) | | |
| Sesame Street | | The Singers Unlimited with Oscar Peterson | In Tune (1973) | | |
| Silent Night | Franz Xaver Gruber | The Singers Unlimited | Christmas (1972) | Shawnee Press | |
| Since You Asked | Judy Collins | The Singers Unlimited | The Complete A Cappella Sessions | A Capella (1972) | |
| Skylark | | The Singers Unlimited & The Pat Williams Orchestra | Feeling Free (1975) | | |
| Sleepy Time Gal | | The Singers Unlimited | Sentimental Journey (1976) | | |
| Snowfall | G. Thornhill | The Singers Unlimited | Four of Us (1973) | Shawnee Press | |
| So Many Stars | | The Singers Unlimited & The Pat Williams Orchestra | Feeling Free (1975) | | |
| Someone To Light Up My Life | Jobin | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella III | | |
| Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child | Traditional | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella III | | |
| Soon It's Gonna Rain | | The Singers Unlimited | Four of Us (1973) | | |
| Spring Is Here | | The Singers Unlimited (with...) | Invitation (1974) | | |
| Stardust | Hoagy Carmicheal | Vocal Majority | I'll Be Seeing You | | |
| Sweet Lorraine | Burwell / Parish | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella III | | |
| Swing Low, Sweet Chariot | | Acoustix | O Worship The King | | |
| The Christmas Song | Mel Torme / Robert Wells | Notre Dame Glee Club | In Dulci Jubilo | | |
| The Christmas Song | Mel Torme / Robert Wells | Singers Unlimited? Voice Trek? Chanticleer? | The Spirit Of Christmas | Hal Leonard | |
| The Entertainer | Scott Joplin | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella III | | |
| The Fool On The Hill | Lennon / McCartney | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella (1972) | Hal Leonard | |
| The Gentle Rain | Luiz Bonfá, Matt Dubey | The Singers Unlimited with Oscar Peterson | In Tune (1973) | | |
| The More I See You | | The Singers Unlimited | Sentimental Journey (1976) | | |
| The Shadow of Your Smile | Johnny Mandel, Paul Francis Webster | The Singers Unlimited with Oscar Peterson | In Tune (!973) | CPP Belwin | The Best of Gene Puerling |
| The Way We Were | Marvin Hamlisch | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella III | | |
| Through The Years | | Ambassadors of Harmony | Applause | | |
| Try To Remember | Tom Jones / Harvey Schmidt | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella (1972) | Shawnee Press | The Sound of The Singers Unlimited |
| Unforgettable | | Acoustix | All The Best | | |
| Unforgettable | | Acoustix | Jazz, Jazz, Jazz | | |
| Violets for Your Furs | | The Singers Unlimited (with...) | Invitation (1974) | | |
| Wave | | The Singers Unlimited (with...) | Invitation (1974) | | |
| We Could Be Flying | | The Singers Unlimited (with...) | Invitation (1974) | | |
| We've Only Just Begun | Roger Nichols | The Singers Unlimited | Four of Us (1973) | Shawnee Press | The Sound of The Singers Unlimited |
| What Are You Doing for the Rest of Your Life? | | Real Group | Get Real (1997) & Unreal (2006) | | |
| Where Is Love? | | The Singers Unlimited | Four of Us (1973) | Shawnee Press | The Sound of The Singers Unlimited |
| Where Is the Love | | The Singers Unlimited & The Pat Williams Orchestra | Feeling Free (1975) | | |
| While We're Young | Wilder / Palitz | Gold Company | While We're Young | | |
| Yesterday | Lennon / McCartney | The Singers Unlimited | A Capella II (1975) | Shawnee Press | |
| You Are the Sunshine of My Life | | The Singers Unlimited & The Pat Williams Orchestra | Feeling Free (1975) | | |
| You Made Me Love You | James V. Monaco | Beachfront Property | Beachfront Property | | |
| You've Got a Friend | | The Singers Unlimited | Four of Us (1973) | |

## Discography (as arranger)

Discography (as arranger) :
| Album Title | Label | Release Year | Performers |
| Listen! | Starlite | 1954 | The Hi-Lo's |
| I Presume | Starlite | 1955 | The Hi-Lo's |
| On Hand | Starlite | 1956 | The Hi-Lo's |
| Under Glass | Starlite | 1956 | The Hi-Lo's |
| The Hi-Lo's And The Jerry Fielding Orchestra | Kapp Records | 1956 | The Hi-Lo's And The Jerry Fielding Orchestra |
| Ring Around Rosie | Columbia | 1957 | Rosemary Clooney And The Hi-Lo's |
| Now Hear This | Columbia | 1957 | The Hi-Lo's With Frank Comstock |
| Suddenly It's The Hi-Lo's | Columbia | 1957 | The Hi-Lo's With The Frank Comstock Orchestra |
| Under Glass | London Records | 1957 | The Hi-Lo's, Frank Comstock And His Orchestra |
| Love Nest | Columbia | 1958 | The Hi-Lo's with Frank Comstock And His Orchestra |
| And All That Jazz | Columbia | 1958 | The Hi-Lo's With The Marty Paich Dek-Tette |
| Reflections in Rhythm with The Hi-Lo's! | Tiara Spotlight Series | 1958 | The Hi-Lo's |
| The Hi-Lo's In Stereo | Omega Disk | 1959 | The Hi-Lo's With The Frank Comstock Orchestra |
| Broadway Playbill | Columbia | 1960 | The Hi-Lo's |
| All Over The Place | Columbia | 1960 | The Hi-Lo's |
| This Time It's Love | Columbia | 1961 | The Hi-Lo's |
| The Hi-Lo's Happen To Folk Songs | Reprise Records | 1962 | The Hi-Lo's With Billy May And His Orchestra |
| The Hi-Lo's Happen To Bossa Nova | Reprise Records | 1963 | The Hi-Lo's |
| Back Again | MPS Records | 1979 | The Hi-Lo's |
| Now | Pausa Records | 1981 | The Hi-Lo's |
| Cherries And Other Delights | Hindsight Jazz | 1993 | The Hi-Lo's |
| Christmas | MPS Records, BASF | 1972 | The Singers Unlimited |
| A Capella | MPS Records, BASF | 1972 | The Singers Unlimited |
| Four Of Us | MPS Records, BASF | 1973 | The Singers Unlimited |
| In Tune | BASF, MPS Records | 1973 | The Oscar Peterson Trio + The Singers Unlimited |
| Invitation | MPS Records, BASF | 1974 | Art Van Damme & The Singers Unlimited |
| A Capella II | MPS Records, BASF | 1975 | The Singers Unlimited |
| Feeling Free | MPS Records, BASF | 1975 | The Singers Unlimited / The Pat Williams Orchestra |
| Sentimental Journey | MPS Records | 1976 | The Singers Unlimited |
| A Special Blend | MPS Records, BASF | 1975 | The Singers Unlimited |
| Friends | Pausa Records | 1977 | The Singers Unlimited |
| Just In Time | Pausa Records | 1978 | The Singers Unlimited |
| Eventide | MPS Records | 1978 | The Singers Unlimited |
| The Singers Unlimited With Rob McConnell And The Boss Brass | Pausa Records | 1979 | The Singers Unlimited With Rob McConnell And The Boss Brass |
| A Capella III | MPS Records | 1980 | The Singers Unlimited |
| Easy To Love | Pausa Records | 1981 | The Singers Unlimited |