Whilst with the Paul Whiteman orchestra, he played with musicians such as Frankie Trumbauer, Bix Beiderbecke, Red Nichols and Joe Venuti.

Starting in April 1932, Crosby embarked on a tour of Paramount-Publix theaters, working across the country to Hollywood where he was to make the film The Big Broadcast.

Lennie Hayton and Eddie Lang provided the musical support to Crosby on his theatre appearances and on his radio shows.

In New York on October 25, 1932, Hayton led the orchestra for one of Bing Crosby's most famous recordings, "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?"

Hayton's involvement with Bing Crosby continued, and he was made musical director for the singer's film Going Hollywood (1933), which was a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production.

[citation needed] Hayton composed "Apple Blossoms" with Joe Venuti, Frankie Trumbauer, and Eddie Lang.

Facing the stresses and pressures of an interracial relationship, which was still relatively rare in that time period,[12] Hayton and Horne had a tumultuous marriage.

She later admitted in a 1980 Ebony interview she had married Hayton primarily to advance her career, and cross the "color-line" in show business, but had learned to love him very much.

Always a heavy drinker and smoker,[14] Hayton died of a heart attack while separated from Horne, in Palm Springs, California in 1971.