Howard Roberts Bio.txt
Wikipedia Biography
Roberts was born in Phoenix, Arizona, and began playing guitar at the age of 8. By the time he was 15
he was playing professionally locally.
In 1950 (21), he moved to Los Angeles, California. With the assistance of Jack Marshall, he began working with
musicians, arrangers and songwriters including Neal Hefti, Henry Mancini, Bobby Troup, Chico Hamilton, George
Van Eps, and Barney Kessel. Around 1956, Bobby Troup signed him to Verve Records as a solo artist. At that time
he decided to concentrate on recording, both as a solo artist and 'Wrecking Crew' session musician, a direction
he would continue until the early 1970s.
Roberts played rhythm guitar, lead guitar, bass, and mandolin. He was known for his heavy use of the Gibson L-5
guitar in the studio and for television and movie projects, including lead guitar on the theme from
The Twilight Zone as well as acoustic and electric guitar on The Munsters, Bonanza, The Brady Bunch, Green Acres,
Get Smart, Batman, Beverly Hillbillies, Andy Griffith, Peter Gunn, Johnny Quest, Gidget, Mannix, Lost in Space,
Dragnet, Wild Wild West, Mission Impossible, The Odd Couple, Dick Van Dyke, I Dream of Jeannie, and the theme
for the film classic Bullitt.
Artists Roberts backed include Georgie Auld, Peggy Lee (on "Fever"), Eddie Cochran ("Sittin' in the Balcony"),
Bobby Day ("Rockin Robin"), Jody Reynolds ("Endless Sleep"), Shelley Fabares ("Johnny Angel"), Dean Martin
("Houston"), the Monkees, Roy Clark, Chet Atkins, and the Electric Prunes.
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