Eddie Layton
Although well regarded by aficionados of space age pop, Hammond organ virtuoso Eddie Layton was even more beloved by visitors to the House That Ruth Built, serving close to four decades as the official organist at baseball's landmark Yankee Stadium. Born October 19, 1925, in Philadelphia, Layton studied music as a child, but majored in meteorology in college. After enlisting in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he first encountered the Hammond in a Naval air station in Linhurst, NJ, and his fate was sealed. After the war Layton studied under the legendary theater pipe organist Jesse Crawford while working the theater circuit himself, eventually landing a steady gig at Radio City Music Hall. From there he worked at CBS, first in radio and later in television -- Layton was also on the Hammond payroll for over 50 years, touring music stores around the world to demonstrate their organs. (By his own estimate, he visited and performed in over 700 stores on five continents.) Inevitably, Layton became a recording artist as well, signing to Mercury to release a series of jazzy easy listening LPs, including Organ Moods, No Blues on This Cruise, and Better Layton Than Never.
In 1967, two years after CBS purchased the New York Yankees, Layton was offered the chance to serve as the ballpark's organist. Knowing nothing about baseball and unable to drive back and forth to the team's 81 annual home games, he initially turned down the invitation, but Yankee brass responded by promising that a limousine would drive him to and from the stadium each day. Layton finally agreed, and was first asked to play only between innings; during one Yankee loss, however, he pulled out the old military trumpet call "Charge!," and the galvanizing melody was such a hit with fans and execs that he earned a raise the following day, with instructions to play at various times throughout the game. He originated several other now-common ballpark musical cues in the decades to follow, among them "The Mexican Hat Dance." Ya Gotta Have Heart, Layton's final album, features many of his greatest Yankee Stadium hits. During the 1970s, he also agreed to provide accompaniment for the NBA's Knicks and the NHL's Rangers before whittling his schedule exclusively to the Yankees. He retired from the team in 2003, passing away in New York City on December 24, 2004.
© Jason Ankeny /TiVo
-
Organ Music for Christmas
Christmas Music - Released by Legacy Recordings on Nov. 7, 2014
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
-
Plays Lawrence Welk's Greatest Hits
Pop - Released by RCA - Legacy on Jul. 1, 2016
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
-
Organ Music Greats
Jazz - Released by Master Classics Records on May 1, 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Do You Remember? Radio's Greatest Themes
Pop - Released by Epic - Legacy on Nov. 13, 2015
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Organ Music for Christmas
Christmas Music - Released by Legacy Recordings on Nov. 7, 2014
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Ya Gotta Have Heart
Film Soundtracks - Released by Silva Screen Records Ltd on Mar. 18, 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Golden Selection (Remastered)
Pop - Released by Master Tape Records on May 29, 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vintage Jazz No. 145 - EP: Bright Lights Of Brussels
Jazz - Released by Vintage Music on Jul. 5, 1958
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Better Layton Than Ever
Pop - Released by Master Classics Records on May 1, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Essential Organ Music
Pop - Released by Master Classics Records on Dec. 1, 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
No Blues On This Cruise
Pop - Released by Master Classics Records on Jan. 1, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Organ King at the Old Yankee Stadium
Classical - Released by Music Manager on Jun. 19, 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Mighty Wurlitzer
Pop - Released by Music Manager on Jan. 1, 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Great Organ Hits From - Four Original Stereo Albums
Pop - Released by Jasmine Records on Apr. 12, 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
I Love The Organ
Pop - Released by Music Manager on Sep. 2, 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -