Bernie Leighton

Piano, Musical Artist

1921 – 1994

62

Who was Bernie Leighton?

Bernie Leighton was an American jazz pianist.

Leighton was born in West Haven, Connecticut. He first played professionally at the end of the 1930s. He played with Bud Freeman, Leo Reisman, Raymond Scott and Benny Goodman before serving in the Army. Following his discharge, he found much work as a studio sideman, with Dave Tough, Billie Holiday, Neal Hefti, Goodman again, Artie Shaw, John Serry, Sr., James Moody and Bob Wilber. He did a tour with Tony Bennett in 1972-73.

While Leighton was best known as a sideman, he also recorded extensively as a leader; he released on Keynote Records in 1946, Mercury Records in 1950, an LP on Columbia Records in 1950, Brunswick in 1951, LPs for Disneyland and Capitol in 1957, and a tribute to Duke Ellington released in 1974.

His instrumental cover of Connie Francis' "Don't Break The Heart That Loves You" on the Colpix label in 1962 reached #101 on Billboard's listing.

Leighton has a cameo role in the 1986 film Hannah and Her Sisters. He died in Coconut Creek, Florida.

We need you!

Help us build the largest biographies collection on the web!

Born
Jan 30, 1921
West Haven
Nationality
  • United States of America
Died
Sep 16, 1994

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

Citation

Use the citation below to add to a bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"Bernie Leighton." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 17 Feb. 2025. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/bernie_leighton>.

Discuss this Bernie Leighton biography with the community:

0 Comments

    Quiz

    Are you a biography pro?

    »
    Who served as the first female President of Ireland?
    A Angela Merkel
    B Theresa May
    C Mary McAleese
    D Mary Robinson