Nelson Smock Riddle Jr. (June 1, 1921 – October 6, 1985) was an American arranger, composer, bandleader and orchestrator whose career stretched from the late 1940s to the mid-1980s. He worked with many world-famous vocalists at Capitol Records, including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Judy Garland, Dean Martin, Peggy Lee, Johnny Mathis, Rosemary Clooney and Keely Smith. He scored and arranged music for many films and television shows, earning an Academy Award and three Grammy Awards. He found commercial and critical success with a new generation in the 1980s, in a trio of Platinum albums with Linda Ronstadt.

Riddle was born in Oradell, New Jersey, United States, the only child of Marie Albertine Riddle and Nelson Smock Riddle, and later moved to nearby Ridgewood. Following his father’s interest in music, he began taking piano lessons at age eight and trombone lessons at age fourteen. He was encouraged to continue his musical pursuits at Ridgewood High School.

A formative experience was hearing Serge Koussevitsky and the Boston Symphony Orchestra playing Maurice Ravel‘s Boléro. Riddle said later: “… I’ve never forgotten it. It’s almost as if the orchestra leaped from the stage and smacked you in the face …