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A powerful screaming player,
Ray Wetzel was greatly admired by his fellow trumpeters. He was the lead trumpeter with
Woody Herman (1943-45) and
Stan Kenton (1945-48) and invigorated many ensembles.
Wetzel also recorded with
the Metronome All-Stars (as part of Kenton's Orchestra),
Vido Musso and
Neal Hefti in 1947. He was married to bassist Bonnie Addleman in 1949.
Wetzel was part of one of the all-time great trumpet sections; the 1949
Charlie Barnet Orchestra found him sitting next to
Maynard Ferguson (who would soon be his successor with Kenton),
Doc Severinsen and
Rolf Ericson!
Wetzel and his wife played with
Tommy Dorsey for a few months, he was briefly back with Kenton (1951) and he was touring again with
Dorsey when he was killed in an automobile accident;
Ray Wetzel (who never led his own record date) was just 27. ~ Scott Yanow