ARTHUR LYMAN/ 1932-2002

Vibraphonist turned
exotic tunes into national hits

Politician Rudy Pacarro
Educator Queenie Mills
More obituaries

---

Star-Bulletin staff

World-renowned mood musician Arthur Lyman died Sunday night at St. Francis Medical Center-West's hospice, after a battle with throat cancer. He was 70.

Known for his vibraphone stylings, bird songs and bells, Lyman helped turn exotic music into a national trend in the 1950s and 1960s, producing more than 30 albums and almost 400 singles and earning three gold albums.

In 1957, Lyman recorded "Yellow Bird," a Haitian folk song. The song made the Billboard charts, peaking at #4 in 1961.

Longtime friend, colleague and sometimes rival Martin Denny said Lyman was "probably one of the best on the island."

Lyman was a member of Denny's original orchestra, joining when he was about 21, "a handsome young man and very athletic," Denny said.

This original group performed on "Exotica" and "Exotica 2." The single "Quiet Village," which became a gold record, was on the first album.

"He played a very essential part in the formation of the exotic sounds," Denny said.

Denny said their careers paralleled and throughout the years there was a bit of rivalry because of the similarities between their music, "but actually he played a very vital part in the styling of this, so when he formed his own orchestra it was only natural that he would lean toward that."

Lyman's break came when his band played a party in Pebble Beach, Calif., during the Bing Crosby Pro-am Golf Tournament. From there it was on to Las Vegas, New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Tokyo.

Most recently he played at the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel in Waikiki.

Lyman is survived by his wife, JoAnn, three sons, a daughter and grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements are pending.