Lorin Whitney | |
|---|---|
 Lorin Whitney at the console of his studio's Robert Morton pipe organ | |
| Born | (1914-09-11)September 11, 1914 |
| Died | August 29, 2007(2007-08-29) (aged 92) |
| Education | |
| Known for | organist Founder, Whitney Recording Studios |
| Spouse | Aimee Whitney (m. March 17, 1937)[1] |
Lorin J. Whitney (September 11, 1914 – August 29, 2007) was an American organist and recording artist who played on Christian radio programs such as theHaven of Rest in the 1930s–1950s. His organ music programs were heard on theCBS Radio andNBC Blue Networks in the 1930s. He founded the Whitney Recording Studio inGlendale, California, in 1957, where he had apipe organ installed. His studio organ was used for recordings by Whitney and other organists, along with furnishing accompaniment for singers. The studio accommodated large orchestras and was widely used by various entertainers to record secular music albums in the 1960s–1990s. After the studio was acquired byMCA in 1978, the MCA Whitney studio was used largely for popular music recordings.
Whitney was born on September 11, 1914, inMadera, California, the son of David and Caroline Whitney.[2] His father was a truck driver.[1] Whitney became aborn again Christian at age 11 while attending anAssemblies of God church.[1] As a youth, Whitney played trombone at church and in his high school's band inFresno where he also played football. He began taking piano lessons at age 14 and advanced rapidly, soon studying organ under prominent theater organistJesse Crawford.[3] Whitney then attendedFresno State College for a year, before transferring toSouthern California Bible College (now Vanguard University).[1]
As a 20-year-old college student in 1934, Whitney became organist on theHaven of Rest radio program, heard by millions on the coast-to-coast broadcast until 1958.[3][4][5] Whitney was on other Los Angeles area stations at various times in the 1930s, includingKNX (AM),KFI,KHJ (AM), andKGER. His organ music program on KFI was also picked up by theNBC Blue Network.[1] During World War II, Whitney worked nights atLockheed Aircraft'sVega plant inBurbank, assembling wings for theLockheed Hudson A-29 bomber, then doing the dailyHaven of Rest program in the mornings with little sleep.[1] In the 1940s, he was organist atYouth for Christ rallies in the Los Angeles area for ten years, along with pianistRudy Atwood, and atBilly Graham's Los Angeles Crusade in 1949.[1][6] He began making organ recordings on theSacred Records label beginning in 1945 and also had a program of organ music on theCBS Radio network.[4][6] Whitney later played organ at Graham's crusades between 1958–1960, as well as on the evangelist'sHour of Decision radio program.[3][7] Whitney played organ on a nightly half-hour radio program on a Los Angeles station,KHOF-FM, in the late 1950s–1960s.[8] He continued to perform as a solo organist in concert appearances and as an accompanist for various singers in the 1970s.[5]
In 1957, Whitney built the Whitney Recording Studio inGlendale, and installed a Robert Mortontheater organ he had acquired from theFox Theatre in Redwood City, California.[1][9] Initially, the 1928-vintage instrument had a 3-manual console and 14 pipe ranks. Whitney expanded it with additionalWurlitzer pipes and an enlarged console, resulting in a 4-manual, 34-rankpipe organ.[7] The organ was heard on Whitney's own radio programs, as well as used by a number of other organists to make recordings, and as backup for a number of singers. In its earlier years, the Lorin Whitney Recording Studio was predominately used to record Christian albums and radio broadcasts, such asHaven of Rest,World Vision, andThe Quiet Time, a 15-minute program of sung hymns and organ played by Whitney, along with a spoken meditation by Albert Salter.[1][9] Whitney promoted the use of his studio by other radio ministries based in the Los Angeles area to produce records on his Angelus label for their listening audiences, such as the duet of John and Linnie Olson on theTrans World Missions broadcast.[10]
The studiosound stage was large enough to accommodate a 60-piece orchestra and was used by such entertainers asJesse Crawford,Barry White and his 40-piece orchestra,Aretha Franklin, andPat Benatar.[9] One of the studio's first major customers wasWalt Disney Productions.[7] ActorTom Bosley used the studio early in his career to produce an audition tape for announcing andvoice acting roles, before his casting as the familiarHoward Cunningham character on theHappy Days television series in the 1970s–1980s.[9] In 1958, the studio was an early pioneer in developing asolid statemixing console.[9] The studio's array of tape duplicating machines and multi-channel recording capabilities resulted in increasing use byrock music performers.[7]
Whitney sold the studio toMCA in 1978, but continued his association with the studio for another five years as a consultant.[7] By 1981, the MCA Whitney Recording Studio was producing 12 albums annually, using a 16-track recording setup, and the majority of recording work was no longer predominantly religious.[9][11]
Whitney made a large number of recordings between the 1940s–1980s, many on theSacred Records,Christian Faith Recordings, and Angelus labels, playing sacred music organ solos and as accompanist for various soloists and ensembles, such asGeorge Beverly Shea and the Haven of Rest Quartet. Among these are:[12][13]
Whitney married Aimee Hill on March 17, 1937.[1] They had a daughter, Joan, and a son, Eugene.[14] When their son married in September 1968, at a Baptist church inPomona, California, Whitney played the wedding music.[15] After living in Glendale, they retired toNewport Beach when Whitney's studio was sold to MCA.[1] In retirement, the couple enjoyed travel and boating.[9] Whitney died at age 92 on August 29, 2007.[14]
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