Perry Botkin

Perry Botkin
Born	(1907-07-22)July 22, 1907
Died	October 14, 1973(1973-10-14) (aged 66)

Perry Botkin (July 22, 1907 – October 14, 1973) was an American jazz guitarist, banjoist, and composer.

Born in Springfield, Ohio, Perry Botkin started working in the 1920s for Wayne Euchner, who had a big band in West Baden, Indiana.¹ Around 1928 he worked with Phil Napoleon's Original Memphis Five. Later he played the guitar on Hoagy Carmichael's Hong Kong Blues.² He also recorded with Al Jolson, Buddy Cole Trio, Connee Boswell, Eddie Cantor, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Paul Whiteman, Bob Hope, Fred Astaire, Spike Jones, Roy Rogers, and The Dorsey Brothers.³

The single The Executioner Theme from the film Murder by Contract reached number 39 on Canada's CHUM Chart.⁴

For 17 years he worked as musical director for Bing Crosby.² He appeared as a musician in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1956-1957).³ In 1958 he composed the score for Murder by Contract, and in the 1960s he composed many songs for The Beverly Hillbillies, e.g. "Elly May's Theme".³ His son, Perry Botkin Jr., was also a musician and composer.³

Perry Botkin died in Van Nuys, California at the age of 66.

• The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise (Decca, 1951)