Ernie Fields (August 28, 1904 – May 11, 1997) was an African American trombonist, pianist, arranger and bandleader. He first became known for leading the Royal Entertainers, which were based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and toured along a circuit stretching from Kansas City, Kansas, to Dallas, Texas.
In the late 1950s Ernie Fields moved to Los Angeles, California, joining Rendezvous Records, for whom he ran the house band. This included pianist Ernie Freeman, guitarist Rene Hall (who had previously worked with Fields in the 1930s), saxophonist Plas Johnson, and drummer Earl Palmer. In 1959 this band had an international hit with an R&B version of Glenn Miller’s "In the Mood", credited to the Ernie Fields Orchestra, which reached #4 on the Billboard Charts. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The band, with minor changes of personnel, went on to recordinstrumentals under many different names, including B. Bumble and the Stingers, The Marketts and The Routers.
Rendezvous Records folded in late 1963, and Fields retired soon after.
His son is saxophonist and bandleader Ernie Fields, Jr.
Here is the original Rendezvous 45 for your enjoyment.
