Mort Lindsey was known for leading Merv Griffin’s television orchestra, accompanied Barbra Streisand on the piano in Central Park and played with Judy Garland in her celebrated comeback concert at Carnegie Hall.

Born Morton Lippman in Newark on March 21, 1923 (he changed his name early in his career), Mr. Lindsey was one of two children of immigrants from Russia. Classically trained as a pianist as a child, he earned a bachelor’s degree and a doctorate in music education from Columbia.

In 1955 he married Betty Bonney, who in 1941, performing with Les Brown’s Band of Renown, recorded the hit song “Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio.”

Mr. Lindsey was musical director for “The Merv Griffin Show” from 1962 to 1986, during a six-decade career in which he brought his big-band finesse to jazz, swing, pop, country and rock in performances and recordings with a diverse array of artists. Among them were Pat Boone, Eddie Fisher, Liza Minnelli, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Willie Nelson, Chris Botti and Michael Bublé.

For Mr. Lindsey, however, his performance of a lifetime occurred on April 23, 1961, when Garland — at 38 and trying to resuscitate her career after bouts with alcohol and pill addictions — performed before a full house at Carnegie Hall.

His Broadway credis include Liza and Bajour in which he served as an arranger and orchestrator.

Source: The New York Times