Ray Wetzel

A robust screaming participant, Ray Wetzel was greatly admired by his fellow trumpeters. He was the business lead trumpeter with Woody Herman (1943-45) and Stan Kenton (1945-48) and invigorated many ensembles. Wetzel also documented using the Metronome All-Stars (within Kenton’s Orchestra), Vido Musso and Neal Hefti in 1947. He was wedded to bassist Bonnie Addleman in 1949. Wetzel was section of among the all-time great trumpet areas; the 1949 Charlie Barnet Orchestra discovered him sitting alongside Maynard Ferguson (who soon become his successor with Kenton), Doc Severinsen and Rolf Ericson! Wetzel and his wife used Tommy Dorsey for a couple weeks, he was briefly back again with Kenton (1951) and he was touring once again with Dorsey when he was wiped out in an car accident; Ray Wetzel (who by no means led his personal record day) was simply 27.