b. 13 February 1908, New York City, New York, USA, d. 24 April 1971, Palm Springs, California. After formal musical tuition, Hayton turned to dance band work, playing piano for several leading hotel bands in the mid- to late 20s. He was also with Paul Whiteman from 1928-30, and during this period associated with many jazzmen, writing arrangements and sometimes playing piano for recording sessions with artists such as Bix Beiderbecke, Red Nichols and Joe Venuti. In the early 30s he worked on radio shows with Bing Crosby, and the famous Lucky Strike Hit Parade. Later in the decade he led his own band, before working for MGM as an arranger, conductor and musical director on movie musicals such as Ziegfeld Follies, The Harvey Girls, Till The Clouds Roll By, The Pirate, On The Town, The Barkleys Of Broadway, and Singin' In The Rain. He married Lena Horne in 1947, and thereafter served as her pianist, arranger and musical director. In 1968 he was nominated for an Oscar for his work on the Gertrude Lawrence biopic Star!, and two years later was co-musical director, with Lionel Newman, on the lavish Hello, Dolly!

Listen to Lennie Hayton at Finetune.

• (1996)  Singin' In The Rain: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

• Singin' in the Rain
• Good Morning
• Make 'Em Laugh
• Moses
• You Are My Lucky Star

• Original Broadway Cast
• Original Soundtrack
• Musical Cast Recording
• Original Cast
• Company
• Maria
• Judy Garland
• Julie Andrews
• Original London Cast
• Andrew Lloyd Webber
• LES MISERABLES
• Louis Armstrong
• Original Broadway Cast "Rent"
• Aileen Quinn
• Original Broadway Cast Recording
• Ella Fitzgerald
• Kristen Chenoweth
• Broadway Cast
• Angela Lansbury
• Original 1979 Broadway Cast