Lanin's brothers,
Sam and
Howard, were also both bandleaders; they came from a family of ten (of which Lester was the youngest) born to a family of
Russian Jewish immigrants. He originally attended South Philadelphia High School but quit at the age of 15 to play music with his brothers abandoning his plans to be an attorney. Beginning in 1927, he led ensembles that were paid to play at the houses of wealthy socialites in Philadelphia and New York, continuing even after the
1929 stock market crash. In 1930, Lanin was hired to play at a gala for
Barbara Hutton, and the event garnered so much press in New York
newspapers that it made Lanin as much a star as the young heiress. Lanin soon became a major star of the dance music world, and was hired worldwide to play for dignitaries and
monarchs, in addition to a recurring invitation to play at
White House inaugural balls from the
Eisenhower administration to the
Carter administration. In the 1930s his orchestral performances at the
Waldorf Astoria Hotel's Starlight Roof included
John Serry Sr. as a sideman. Lanin was managed for much of his career by New York socialite music promoter Al Madison. He conducted the music for
Grace Kelly's engagement party, as well as the nuptials between
Prince Charles and
Lady Diana Spencer. This was reported by
Billboard magazine in 1974. At the time Mr. Zappa was in New York City to play two
Halloween concerts at the Felt Forum (now known as
The Theater at Madison Square Garden.) Lanin also played for other celebrities, including
Billy Joel's 1985 wedding to
Christie Brinkley. Lanin continued performing well into the 1990s. In 1999 he played himself in the black-and-white film comedy
Man of the Century, where he was the favorite musician of lead character Johnny Twennies. Until his death, Lanin and his orchestra played at the prestigious
International Debutante Ball where upper-class girls from prominent American and international families are presented to
high society at the
Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in
New York City. Since his death, his orchestra continues to play biennially at the International Debutante Ball. Lanin and his orchestra are famous for handing out "Lanin Hats," with the logo of the Lester Lanin orchestra, to the crowd and debutantes at the International Debutante Ball. Lester Lanin died at age 97 in 2004. ==Legacy==