Tiny Timbrell

Who was Tiny Timbrell?

Hilmer J. Timbrell was a Canadian-born session musician and master guitarist.

Hilmer J. "Tiny" Timbrell was born in Canada but moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue his career in music. For a time, he sold guitars at Fife & Nichols, a Hollywood musical instrument store located at the corner of Sunset & Vine inside Wallach's Music City.

A "first call" guitarist at Warner Brothers Studios, in the late 1940s Timbrell appeared in several motion pictures playing as part of a band. His reputation was such that he was hired to play guitar on recording sessions for singing stars such as Doris Day, Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra, Rosemary Clooney, Bing Crosby, Harry James, and pop and country music artists such as Ricky Nelson and Marty Robbins.

Perhaps most significantly in his career, Timbrell played rhythm guitar for Elvis Presley, first at Radio Recorders studios in Los Angeles for the making of the soundtrack for the film, Loving You and later on numerous other soundtracks for Presley films.

In 1943 Timbrell married Margaret Ellen Scott. They had two children: Gail and Jay. Gail married and had three children: Roger, Nancy, and Steven.