Reginald Koury

REX KOURY

CASPER --- Memorial Services for Reginald 'Rex' Koury, 95, will be held Friday, June 2, 2006 at 5:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 804 S. Wolcott. He died May 29, 2006 at Sheperd of the Valley Care Center of natural causes.

He was born March 18, 1911 in London, England to George and Dora Koury. He lived his first 2 years in Egypt, before the family moved to Elizabeth, N.J.
He started piano lessons at age 8, and organ lessons at 13. At 17, he signed a 4 year contract with RKO Radio, and was billed as: "The Worlds youngest Organist – The Voice of RKO:
R-Rex K-Koury O-Organist". At age 21 he was organist for RKO's Palace Theater in Albany, N.Y., and the Proctor Theater in Troy, N.Y. He had a bi-weekly radio show on WGY, Schenectady, called "Cinema Time". He also ran the "Rex Koury School of Music" for beginner and advanced students. In 1933 he moved to Calif. where he played with the Teddy Mack Band, and married dancer Louise Hansen. At 23 he became a full member of the Musicians Union Local 47. At 25 he joined 'George Hamilton and his Music Box Band', which was touring the country with the dance team of Veloz and Yolanda. In 1938 he returned to Hollywood as staff pianist for KFI-NBC Radio, doing such shows as "Ellery Queen", "Amazing Mr. Malone", and the "Chef Milani Show". He was remarried to radio vocalist Georgia Leath. In 1940 at age 29, he was the Staff Orchestra Leader for radio station KMPC in Los Angeles. At age 30, he was a staff musician on the "Fibber McGee & Molly Show" at NBC. He had his own radio show on KMPC called "Fiesta-with Rex Koury and the Cabelleros". At that time, NBC was 2 separate networks. The 'Red' network covered the East Coast, and the 'Blue' covered the West Coast. Rex played the 'Red' network as Rex Koury, and the 'Blue' as Roy St. George. In 1942 at age 31, Rex played with the Glenn Miller Band until Miller went into the army. Rex enlisted in the army in Dec., and was assigned to the Douglas Army Air Field in Douglas, AZ. as Staff Sergeant. He arranged for and directed the 410th Band, and was director of the radio orchestra. He was promoted to Master Sergeant in 1944. Upon discharge in 1946, he went back to Hollywood, and worked at NBC before going over to ABC as staff organist. During this time he was also musical director for "Stars Over Hollywood" at CBS, and "Parade of Stars" on NBC. Rex was also credited with writing the NBC "Chimes". He went on to do an ABC show called "Screen Guild Players", which featured many well known artist of the time singing songs from their most recent Hollywood movies. In 1952 at age 41, he became "ABC Western Division Musical Director", covering both radio and TV. He also composed the 'body' music and theme for the radio show "Gunsmoke" at CBS. While Musical Director at ABC, he had 10 coast to coast programs. He became conductor, arranger, and composer for the annual Salvation Army of Stars Christmas Album. In 1953 at age 42, he was voted one of the "Top Performers of 1953" by Fortnight Magazine. In 1954 he had a band at the Ambassador Hotel's Cocoanut Grove. He received the 1st "Gold Cocoanut" award for having the longest running engagement of 14 weeks. His guests included Harry Belafonte and Judy Garland. He also had 3 shows on Armed Service Radio: "Gunsmoke", "Music by Rex Koury" and "Cinema Time". His
other interests included painting and model railroads. In 1955, his railroad was featured in
"Popular Mechanics". In 1956 Downbeat Magazine, Film-TV Music Poll, award Rex for "Best
Scoring of a Radio Series" for "Gunsmoke". He was elected as a member of
"ASCAP", (American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers). In 1957 he recorded his 4th
album, "Stairway To Heaven". In 1958, he left ABC as musical director and moved to
Coeur d' Alene, Idaho, where he partnered in a local radio station, KVNI. He also wrote a
composition in E Minor for a string quartet which was recorded in Rome by Radiotelevision
Roma. In 1962 he returned to Calif., and married Mary Peters. He went to work at NBC as
Musical Director for the game shows "You Don't Say" and "I'll Bet". He began performing
Theater Organ concerts across the country, and was still doing the Salvation Army of Stars
Christmas Album. In 1964 he became a Life Member of Musicians Union Local 47. He went on
to be musical director on the "Mickey Finn Show", as well as the game show, "You Don't Say".
In 1971 at age 60, he left NBC and moved to Reno, NV. He continued to direct the Salvation
Army of Stars orchestra, judged the U.S. Finals for the 'Yamaha National Electone Organ Pops
Competition', toured the country giving concerts, and recorded his album "Sincerely Yours". In
1972 he played at least one major concert a month, was the 1st to play the newly restored Welte
Organ at Scotty's Castle in Death Valley, Ca. To this day he is the only person to record an
album on it. Rex continued to play concerts across the country through 1989. During this time
he also recorded 3 more albums. In 1977 he was elected to the ATOS (American Theater Organ
Society) Board of Directors. He was President of ATOS from 1980-1987. In 1982 at age 71, he
was named the ATOS Theater Organist of the Year. In 1988 he was elected into the Theater
Organ Hall of Fame. In 1987 at age 76, organ history was made when the Sussex Theatre Organ
Trust in Worthing England, commissioned Rex to compose 'Concerto for Theatre Organ and
Orchestra'. It premiered in Worthing, England in Oct. 1987. As well as composing it, Rex
performed on the organ along with a 65 piece orchestra. In 1992 he moved to Hot Springs, Ark.
Rex was an organist and choir director at a local church in every city he lived in. In 1998 at age
87, he moved to Casper, WY., and was co-organist at the First Presbyterian Church until 2002.
In 1999, at age 88, he was elected as an Honorary Member of "The Society to Preserve and
Encourage Radio Drama, Variety and Comedy". In 2000, at age 89, he performed a Pipe Organ
concert at the First Presbyterian Church, Casper, Wy. In 2002 at age 91, Rex retired.
He is survived by his daughters, Denise Hoover of Casper, JoAnne Carpenter of Juneau, AK.,
and Georgette Koury of Las Vegas, NV., and sons, Barry Koury of Lakewood, Co., Bryon Koury
of Carson City, NV., James R. Peters Jr. of Juneau, AK., and Robert Koury of Las Vegas, NV.
He had 4 'in-law' children and 9 grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to
an organization of choice.