Maury's Story
Maury Laws has been in the music business since the age of twelve. He began playing the guitar and singing country music in his native North Carolina and by age sixteen was a featured soloist with local dance bands and jazz groups.
After returning from World War II, he performed in clubs and theaters throughout the U.S. and Canada, eventually settling in New York where he pursued a formal education in music. Among his teachers was Tibor Serly, the associate of Bela Bartok.
In the waning days of the big bands, he toured with the Vaughn Monroe Orchestra and during the so-called golden age of television, he appeared with vocal groups on the Perry Como, Arthur Godfrey, Milton Berle and Ed Sullivan shows. He wrote arrangements for many of the top recording artists of the 1950’s and ‘60’s. He also created and performed in commercials for General Electric, Eastman Kodak, American Motors, Firestone and Revlon.
Laws’ first job as a musical director was for the animated production “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” It has aired on network television every year since 1964, making it the longest running special in TV history. He went on to compose, arrange and conduct music for the Rankin/Bass television specials and films (www.RankinBass.com) including “The Hobbit” which won a Peabody Award and was nominated for both a Grammy and an Emmy Award.
His work has been performed by some of the world’s most renowned artists including Fred Astaire, Danny Kaye, Angela Lansbury, Burl Ives, Danny Thomas, Art Carney, Judy Collins, John Houston and Ethel Merman. He has also composed for the Off-Broadway theater and has scored symphonic works for orchestras in this country and in Europe.
Maury is married to former NBC News producer, Karen Rutledge. Their son, John, lives in Chicago. Daughter, Wendy, resides in Phoenix and son, Christopher, lives on Cape Cod.
In 2011, Maury was inducted into the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters. He continues to write music for vocalists, jazz artists and symphony orchestras. He recently composed a piece for orchestra celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton, Wisconsin. The composition was performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra with conductor, Keith Lockhart.
Maury passed away quietly on March 28, 2019.
After returning from World War II, he performed in clubs and theaters throughout the U.S. and Canada, eventually settling in New York where he pursued a formal education in music. Among his teachers was Tibor Serly, the associate of Bela Bartok.
In the waning days of the big bands, he toured with the Vaughn Monroe Orchestra and during the so-called golden age of television, he appeared with vocal groups on the Perry Como, Arthur Godfrey, Milton Berle and Ed Sullivan shows. He wrote arrangements for many of the top recording artists of the 1950’s and ‘60’s. He also created and performed in commercials for General Electric, Eastman Kodak, American Motors, Firestone and Revlon.
Laws’ first job as a musical director was for the animated production “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” It has aired on network television every year since 1964, making it the longest running special in TV history. He went on to compose, arrange and conduct music for the Rankin/Bass television specials and films (www.RankinBass.com) including “The Hobbit” which won a Peabody Award and was nominated for both a Grammy and an Emmy Award.
His work has been performed by some of the world’s most renowned artists including Fred Astaire, Danny Kaye, Angela Lansbury, Burl Ives, Danny Thomas, Art Carney, Judy Collins, John Houston and Ethel Merman. He has also composed for the Off-Broadway theater and has scored symphonic works for orchestras in this country and in Europe.
Maury is married to former NBC News producer, Karen Rutledge. Their son, John, lives in Chicago. Daughter, Wendy, resides in Phoenix and son, Christopher, lives on Cape Cod.
In 2011, Maury was inducted into the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters. He continues to write music for vocalists, jazz artists and symphony orchestras. He recently composed a piece for orchestra celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton, Wisconsin. The composition was performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra with conductor, Keith Lockhart.
Maury passed away quietly on March 28, 2019.