In the late 1940s and early 1950s, Lindsey was part of a trio called the Playboys with jazz guitarist Johnny Smith and organist Arlo Hults at NBC.[5] In 1956, he was credited with composing the song "Rock 'N' Roll Polka" as recorded by John Serry Sr. (See Squeeze Play).
Lindsey served as musical director and bandleader of The Merv Griffin Show from 1965 to 1986 and composed one of the show's themes.[6] In addition, he and Griffin composed the song "Changing Keys", which served as the theme to Griffin's game show Wheel of Fortune in several versions from 1983 until 2000.
In 1969, Lindsey won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music as musical director for Barbra Streisand: A Happening in Central Park a concert attended by 135,000 people that aired as a music special on CBS in 1968.[2][4]
Family
In 1944, Lindsey married Betty Szold. They later divorced. In 1954, he married Betty (Bonney) Broyles[7] who went by the stage name Judy Johnson while touring with the Les Brown Orchestra. He had three sons, David Lippman, Steve Lindsey, and Trevor Lindsey; and three daughters, Deborah Morris, Judy Grant, and Bonney Dunn.[2]
