Lang, Harvey

Harvey Lang was born in 1929 in Madison, Wisconsin, where his father owned a radio store. He married Jeanie on February 16, 1958 and divorced in 1982. They had five children.

Lang's talent for drumming was first noticed when he was 18 months old. By age three, he used garbage can lids, ice cream signs and the various parts of his tricycle to beat out various rhythms. When neighbors came to his parents asking for their garbage can lids back, his grandmother bought him his first drum set.

He learned to play his drums by playing along with a polka band that came on a local radio station at noon every day. His mother could play piano by ear and he insisted on playing with her as well. They often played at vaudeville shows, church events, and weddings. When he was three and a half years old, a bandleader tried to throw Lang off by switching rhythms often and abruptly, but Lang easily picked up each one. Lang could play fox trots, tangos, rumbas, and by age four he could play classical, semi-classical, modern jazz, or any kind of music. When he was five he played with an orchestra at the Eastwood Theater and with a veterans' band. In 1937 when he was seven years old, he competed on the Morris B. Sachs 149th all-amateur hour in Chicago.

Lang was highly influenced by Gene Krupa and Dave Tough, and his mentor was Louie Bellson. Lang's parents took him to see all the greats when he was young: Gene Krupa, Benny Goodman, Cab Calloway, and his most memorable, Duke Ellington. He later said that Buddy Rich was the best drummer in the world, Duke Ellington his favorite musician, and Tom Jones a great singer. About drumming, he said, "Drums should be played, not beaten."

Lang studied at the Roy Knapp School of Percussion in Chicago from 1944-1947, taught by Knapp, Clarence Carlson, Lyle Todd, and Jerome Stowell. At age 15, Lang officially ranked as a professional. He was in his first band in 1944, in Chicago, and played in clubs around Chicago and Indianapolis during high school and after. In Indianapolis he played with then-unknown guitarist Wes Montgomery. He graduated high school in 1947. In 1948, he placed second at the Indiana Krupa Drum Contest.

At age 19, Lang served a two year term in the Navy, where he seldom played. In 1954, he played with Bobby Lain's Quartet, with Bobby Lain on saxophone, Mel Stone on bass, and John Jeffrey on vibes. In 1955, he played with Jimmy Nuzzo and his Quintet, Ralph Marterie, and he joined the Herbie Fields jazz band and toured the west coast, settling in Las Vegas. Also during the 1950s, he played with Frank Sinatra, Lionel Hampton, Louie Prima, Jimmy Rogers, Earl Grant, Duke Ellington, and Charlie Teagarden. He made television show appearances with such stars as Dinah Shore, Patti Page, and Frank Sinatra.

On April 29, 1958, Lang's life was turned upside down. Guitarist Bob Robertson was driving them to a performance in New Orleans when Bob tried to steer the car to avoid a wild pig, and the car swerved and rolled over four times. Lang had a broken hip and Robertson had cuts and bruises. Doctors believed Lang would never walk or play drums again. After a year in hospitals and with unwavering determination, Lang recuperated and in 1959 started playing with Harry Ranch at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. That same year he also played with Judy Garland.

In the early 1960s, he worked for Jimmy Rogers on his first show where he was the summer replacement for Carol Burnett on television, played eight shows for Joey Bishop, but had a steady job playing with Ginny Greer and the Gallions. He left the Gallions to join Jimmy "Little Red" Blount. In the later 1960s, he played steadily with Wayne Newton and Dick Cantino, as well as with Lee Caron and the Sharpshooters.

In 1970, Lang moved to Orlando, where he settled for the rest of his career. In 1971, he had his own group, Harvey Lang's Power Source, with Jim Davis on horn, Eddie Ambrose on organ, and Charlie May on saxophone, later joined by singer Cindy Ross. He played with Lee Caron and the Kut-Ups, which included Lee Caron, Lora Del Valle, Red Fletcher, Dave Liles, Jim Davis, Eddie Ambrose, and Glenn Teed. He also played several times with Marian McPartland. In the later 1970s, he joined the Bubba Kolb Trio. Though he played in several different places in Florida, he spent much of his time playing at Disney. Lang retired in the early 1990s.

Throughout his career, he endorsed several different drum and percussion companies, including Ludwig, Gretsch-Gladstone, Slingerland, Zildjian, Pearl, Rogers, and Lyon & Healey.

Harvey Lang died in 1998.

From the guide to the Lang, Harvey. Collection, 1930s-1998, (Special Collections Research Center University of Chicago Library 1100 East 57th Street Chicago, Illinois 60637 U.S.A.)