Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music
STORDAHL, Axel
(b 8 August 1913, Staten Island, NY; d 30 August 1963, Encino CA) Conductor, arranger, composer. He played trombone and arranged '34-5, joined Tommy Dorsey '36, sang with Dorsey's vocal group (this was before the Pied Pipers: the big Dorsey hit 'Once In A While' '37 was just labeled 'vocal quartet') and became lead arranger.
Stordahl conducted on Frank Sinatra's first solo sessions for RCA when Dorsey allowed that '42, then left Dorsey with Sinatra to be his music director '43-9, with him on Hit Parade radio shows '47-9; he conducted Sinatra's first Capitol session '53 and his last '61, but in between was outshone by Nelson Riddle. He also worked with Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Eddie Fisher (music director), Dinah Shore, Doris Day, etc; He made albums and singles on Capitol with his wife, singer June Hutton; his own albums on Capitol, Decca, and Dot included Lure '59, Jasmine And Jade '60, The Magic Islands Revisited '61, Guitars Around The World '63. He co-wrote 'I Should Care' '45 (four hit recordings including both Tommy Dorsey and Jimmy Dorsey as well as Sinatra), and 'Day By Day' '46 (four hit versions including Sinatra).