H. B. Barnum (born Hidle Brown Barnum, 15 July 1936, Houston, Texas) is an American pianist, arranger, record producer, songwriter, and former child actor.After winning a nationwide talent contest at the age of four and starring in the motion picture Valley of the Sun Marches On, he continued his acting career on TV in the Amos 'n Andy Shows, the Jack Benny Show, and others, making his first solo recording as Pee Wee Barnum in 1950.He then joined doo-wop groups The Dootones and, in 1956, The Robins (later The Coasters), for whom he played piano. In 1960, under the pseudonym "Dudley" he recorded the radio hit "El Pizza," a parody of Marty Robbins' "El Paso". In 1961 he had the only hit under his own name, the instrumental "Lost Love", and in the same year recorded the first version of "Nut Rocker", credited to Jack B. Nimble and the Quicks. He also recorded three albums as a singer-pianist during the 1960s.In 1962, Barnum, in collaboration with Bill Aken and Lan-Cet Records did the big band arrangement for the 1962 gubernatorial campaign recording to tie in with Goodwin "Goody" Knight's bid for re-election as Governor of California. Johnny Mercer gave the o.k. for using Aken's re-written lyrics to his old standard of "Goody Goody." In spite of the fact that it was done for a political campaign, the band's final recording was a superlative work of musical genius on the part of Barnum and Aken. Goodwin Knight subsequently pulled out of the campaign and copies of the record are very rare and hard to find.Since that time he has become most widely known as an arranger, for a very wide range of performers including Lou Rawls, Count Basie, O.C. Smith, Frank Sinatra, The Supremes, Aretha Franklin, Little Richard, Gladys Knight, Al Wilson, the Pump Girls, and the Little Tots. Barnum also produced, along with Johnnie Walls of JWP Productions which distributed the record, the 1985 hip-hop comedy song "Rappin' Duke." In addition, he also produced "The Fish Song", a rare song by The New Creation, released on Salaam Records.H.B. Barnum had an album recorded by the Novells, a Los Angeles area band, titled, That Did It! in 1968. The album which never was properly promoted surprisingly re-emerged as an import some 40-years later when it was released in the United Kingdom in July 2005 and again in December 2007 by Radioactive Records.H. B. Barnum is the older brother of backup singer Billie Barnum.
He was awarded the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Distinguished Musical Direction and Arranging for the musical, "Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope," at the Mark Taper Forum Theatre in Los Angeles, California.
writer: "The Theme From Emma Mae Long To Be Back Home,", "I'm In Love With You,"
Five on the Black Hand Side
1973
lyrics: "Five on the Black Hand Side" / music: "Five on the Black Hand Side"
Hollywood a Go Go
1965
TV Series writer - 1 episode
Music Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert
2009
TV Special musician: Simon and Garfunkel
Divas Live: An Honors Concert for VH1 Save the Music
1998
TV Special documentary conductor
The 11th Annual Black Achievement Awards
1990
TV Special musical director
19th Annual NAACP Image Awards
1987
TV Special musical director - as H.B. Barnam
Sisters in the Name of Love
1986
TV Special conductor
A Celebration of Life: A Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr.
1984
TV Special documentary musical director
The Richard Pryor Special?
1977
TV Special music director
The Smokey Robinson Show
1970
TV Special musical director
G.I.T. on Broadway
1969
TV Movie conductor
Composer
Title
Year
Status
Character
A Hard Death
1996
Video
The 20th Annual People's Choice Awards
1994
TV Special
Emma Mae
1976
Five on the Black Hand Side
1973
Big Daddy
1973
TV Movie
Hit Man
1972
...And Beautiful
1969
TV Movie
Allen Ludden's Gallery
1969
TV Series
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Amen
1986
TV Series
Band Lander
Police Story
1973
TV Series
Nicky
The Vin Scully Show
1973
TV Series
Orchestra Leader
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
1965
TV Series
Nightclub Musician
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
Standing in the Shadows of Motown
2002
Documentary acknowledgment: The Funk Brothers and Producers would like to acknowledge all the other musicians who contributed to the Hitsville legacy, Arranger
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Actors Entertainment
2014
TV Series
Himself
Unsung
2010-2013
TV Series documentary
Himself
The Wrecking Crew!
2008
Documentary
Himself
Lou Rawls Parade of Stars
1989
TV Series
Himself
Freedomfest: Nelson Mandela's 70th Birthday Celebratation