Donald Leight, 80; His Life as Big Band Backup Inspired a Play

Donald Leight, 80, a trumpet player whose life as one of the relatively anonymous players working in big bands in New York City was the inspiration for “Side Man,” a play written by his son Warren, died Jan. 3 at a hospital in New York City, Associated Press reported. The cause of death was pneumonia and complications from Parkinson’s disease.

Warren Leight’s largely autobiographical play told of growing up with his remote musician father, who neglected his family in the pursuit of his music.

The play, an off-Broadway hit, moved on to Broadway and in 1999 won the Tony Award for best play.

Born in the Bronx, Donald Leight studied trumpet as a child and played in youth bands. After serving in the Army during World War II, he found work with the Buddy Rich Big Band, where he was a featured soloist, and later with bands led by Woody Herman and Claude Thornhill.

But from the mid-’50s on, his life was that of a freelancer, taking jobs where he could find them. In good times, that meant steady work backing singers, including Frank Sinatra, Lena Horne and Sammy Davis Jr., at clubs like the Copacabana. He also played on Broadway in the orchestra for “Hair.”

Although his son’s play was deemed unflattering to him, Leight voiced satisfaction that the play presented an accurate picture of the struggles of sidemen to make a living.