German composer, arranger, band and orchestra leader and piano player (* July 19, 1928 in Nürnberg (Nuremberg), German Empire; † November 28, 2023 in Baden-Baden, Germany).
Werner Drexler started his musical career playing piano in American bars in Nuremberg and Munich. He loved Swing music. After finishing his musical studies he joined Orchester Kurt Edelhagen in 1953, which was Germany's best jazz orchestra at that time. In 1961, Werner Drexler got hired as production director of Südwestfunk Tanzorchester. In the last 30 years he recorded over 50 LPs and 30 CDs with the orchestra or bands linked to it. He also composed soundtracks to German series like "Fest im Sattel", "Butler Parker" or "Christian und Christiane", as well as the official theme to the 1974 soccer world championship. His composition work was also used in US American and Japanese tv series. He also often worked extensively with Max Greger and other international orchestras.