Dick Nash, a fine swing trombonist, was the brother of tenor saxophonist Ted Nash and the father of another talented saxophonist named Ted Nash. Unfortunately, Dick matured after the end of the big band era and chose the life of a well-respected studio musician over that of a creative jazz player. Starting in 1947, Dick worked with the big bands of Sam Donahue, Glen Gray and Tex Beneke. He served in the military from 1950-52 (playing in an Army band part of the time) and after his discharge was with Billy May's popular orchestra in 1953. After leaving May, Dick settled in Los Angeles and became an in-demand studio musician. In later years Dick was often called on to recreate swing era solos (particularly those of Tommy Dorsey) but never led his own record session.

Scott Yanow -All Music Guide
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Richard Taylor Nash, for the best part of half a century Dick Nash has been 'first call' in the Hollywood studios, working with such great composers as Alfred Newman, Henry Mancini and John Williams, to name but a few. the well known studio musician, considered by composer, conductor Henry Mancini as his favorite trombonist, writing several arragments often featuring Dick as soloist on his soundtracks.

Frank Capp also from the New England area, recommended Nash to conductor Ken Hanna who ran a regular Sunday afternoon rehearsal band. One of the trombone players couldn't make it so Dick sat in. Hanna pulled out a trombone feature which ended with a cadenza and Dick feeling a little frisky, went up to a double G and nailed it. Hanna's eyes light up saying “I want you to come back next week as I'm going to write something for you”. It turned out to be Nirvana which was the very first thing he recorded in this town and it sort of put Dick Nash on the map.

Dick was gaining a reputation as a high note player, having been invited to join in the weekly sessions at the famous Hoyt's Garage with the likes of Tommy Pederson, Lloyd Ulyate, Joe Howard, Harry Betts, Milt Bernhart and of course Hoyt Bohannon and it was Pederson who recommended him for the Freddy Martin Band. After 18 months, on the recommendation of his brother Ted, Dick found himself sitting beside Joe Howard on a Tennessee Ernie Summer Replacement TV show, followed by another TV show with Musical Director Frank DeVol.

Nash was playing two or three solos, when he later went to work at Fox, Vince De Rosa said he used to listen and wait for Dick's solos. Stints followed with the bands of Les Brown and Charlie Barnet. Enter Ray Klein, the trombonist at Fox who had heard Dick play Nirvana on the radio and who with several other of the studio musicians at Fox, liked to get together for a blow. He invited Dick to join them for their informal sessions, with the end result he was asked to fill Ray Klein's chair when he stepped down at Fox in 1958.

The Nash trombone has been heard soloing on so many Hollywood movies over the past four decades, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Days of Wine and Roses, Sanctuary, not to mention innumerable television shows and record dates. Nash's smooth and mellow trombone solo is chanting on the Theme From Hatari from the soundtrack for the John Wayne film Hatari! (1962) and memorable on Misty. In 1959 he played on Art Pepper +Eleven, the modern jazz classic.

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