Doc Severinsen is an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and television personality. He is best known for leading the NBC Orchestra on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson from 1967 to 1992. Severinsen was born in Arlington, Oregon, and began playing trumpet at age 8. He attended the Juilliard School of Music and later joined the U.S. Army Band. After his military service, he became a popular session musician in Los Angeles. In 1967, he was chosen as the leader of the NBC Orchestra on The Tonight Show, where he remained until 1992. Severinsen has released several albums and continues to perform around the world.