Oh, how I wish this show were complete! I think this is my favorite music program yet. Stan Kenton and his orchestra, live at the Palladium in Hollywood for their last show there after what was apparently a long run. Stan mentions that they’re making way for Gene Krupa’s band. In my searching, I couldn’t find a date for either Kenton’s last show or Krupa’s first show at the Palladium, but Christmas is mentioned in the program. He also mentions that it’s Sunday. This is on the reverse of my Christmas 1945 disc. So that narrows it down, but I still don’t know which Sunday of December 1945 this was recorded.
The recording starts mid-song. When it ends, June Christy is introduced and sings “A-sittin’ and a-rockin’.” Next up is “Never Too Late to Pray,” sung by Gene Howard. The final number is a version of Kenton’s theme song, “Artistry in Rhythm.” He describes it, “the melody of our theme song, beat up into a real fast, rather exciting arrangement… we hope it gets that way this evening.” It features Eddie Safranski on bass, Vido Musso on tenor sax, Buddy Childers on trumpet, and Rob Collier on drums.
If you saw my post from Christmas 1945, you might remember that the record is broken, cracked all the way through from edge to center. I’m really happy that I was able to get this side recorded as well as the Christmas side. It took quite a bit of work, including my husband using his specialty tools at his studio to clean up the pops from the crack, but it came out pretty well. The end of the program drops out as Kenton is talking.
Here’s another episode of “Music from the House of Squibb,” this one from February 25, 1944. The first half of the program is pretty good, but the second half has a lot of clicks and pops due to condition issues. I recorded it using a new stylus, hoping that it would track better through the rough spots. I think it did well until the point where the record is pretty much falling apart. I pieced it back together digitally as best I could.
The show is all movie music. Vera Brodsky is the guest singer. There’s also a male soloist, but I didn’t ever hear his name mentioned. I don’t know if maybe the very beginning of the show was missing, but what you hear is all that’s on my record. Mike Harron informs me that the NY Times listed Harrison Knox as the scheduled guest for this date, so it may be him (thanks, Mike).
The songs are “Suddenly it’s Spring” from Lady in the Dark, “I’ll Get By” from A Guy Named Joe, “Long Ago” from Cover Girl, and “The Piccolino” from Top Hat.
This is another episode of “Sing Along with the Landt Trio” of Karl, Jack and Dan. This program has a little extra interest to it: it’s Army Day! I knew about Armed Forces Day, but I’d never heard of Army Day. Google to the rescue!
“Army Day was established as a nationwide observance to draw public attention to national defense and to acquaint the public with Army activities.” Army Day had a rough beginning, but its official observance on April 6 began in 1929 to mark the day the U.S. entered World War I. 1949 was the last year that Army Day was recognized or celebrated. For more information, you can visit the Department of Defense page about it.
This program of Sing Along begins with popular songs of the day: “Don’t Sweetheart Me,” “I’ll Always be in Love with You,” and “I Couldn’t Sleep a Wink Last Night.” It concludes with two songs in honor of Army Day: “One Little WAC” and “What do they do in the Infantry?”
As a thank-you to those of you who are still with me after such a long hiatus, here’s something that I think is pretty special. This was one of my grandpa’s “b-sides,” where he really only cared about the material on the other side. This was totally unlabeled and undocumented in his records.
Jimmie Fidler was apparently a somewhat controversial entertainment reporter who had a weekly Hollywood news show. I don’t know the exact date of this program, but the one on the reverse was from February 4, 1944 so I’ll assume it’s close to that date. It is FASCINATING, a real time-capsule of the entertainment world. Just to drop a few names from this program: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Lena Horne, Errol Flynn, John Wayne, Greta Garbo, Frank Sinatra, Danny Kaye… and that’s not all. It’s a real “who’s who” of the day. The show is sponsored by Arrid antiperspirant, and includes a few good ads for that (as well as one ad for liver pills).
This record was in really bad shape, with the lacquer cracked and delaminating. In the middle, you’ll notice significant pops and drop-outs. I recorded this several times over, at both 78 and 33rpm (I could only do portions at 33), and tried to piece it together as best I could. Even so, there are places where anything from a portion of a second to a few seconds are missing. I encourage you to keep listening; it improves again as you get nearer the end and the content is so good that it’s worth it.
I’m not posting a picture since there’s no label on this. If you’d like a picture anyway, let me know and I’ll put one up.
Thanks again for your patience while I got both life and technical issues straightened out!
I have a new computer and a new phono preamp. My 33rpm motor is just about dead, so I’m primarily using the 78 motor and digitally correcting the speed. It’s not ideal, but it’s all I can do.
Here’s a quickie I could get off today. This is a program called “Buffalo Presents Portraits in Music,” from WKBW. It features David Cheskin and his orchestra, along with The Four Cheers and Jan Martell. Songs include, “Don’t Worry, Mom,” “Little Did I Know,” and “I Want to be Happy,” along with others.
Here we have another of what must have been one of my grandpa’s favorite programs, “To Your Good Health from the House of Squibb.” This originally aired on May 31, 1944. As always, we have Lyn Murray directing the Squibb Orchestra and Chorus of Stars. The guest soloist is Hubie Hendrie.
The playlist includes “Blow, Gabriel, Blow,” “Lamp of Memory,” “Shadrach,” and “Amour.”
This CBS program, hosted by Franklyn McCormick, takes letters from listeners requesting songs and sends a bouquet to those whose letters are used on the air. One selected letter-writer who is also having an anniversary receives a “golden gift” of “beautifully matched rings in 14 karat gold.” Caesar Patrillo, Louise King and Billy Leach sing. The orchestra isn’t credited.
The songs performed are “Lady Be Good,” “Stormy Weather,” “That’s an Irish Lullaby,” “Home on the Range,” and “Little Gray Home in the West.”
I don’t know the exact date of this recording, but he mentions that Oklahoma! had opened in London a few weeks prior. That opened on April 30, 1947, so I’m assuming this is from mid or late May. That lines up with what’s on the reverse: “Church of the Air” from May 25, 1947.
On this program, Jean Sablon sings “Oh What a Beautiful Morning,” “I Believe,” “Je vais passer in soiree formidable,” and “Mamselle.” There are also some advertisements for DuBarry cosmetics.
The quality of this recording degrades as it nears the end. That’s been a pretty common problem for me. These records all play from the inside-out, and a lot of them have small cracks in the lacquer near the edges of the record. I assume it’s from years of stress from being stored on edge, as well as small bumps and dings as they’ve been handled.
This is a program that isn’t listed in my grandpa’s notes. I’m sure he was only interested in what was on the other side (which I will have in my next post). The recording is incomplete; it’s another part 1 of 2 where I don’t have 2. The record doesn’t have a year on it, but I was able to figure out that it was 1947 through Googling some of the names and events I heard in the recording.
Columbia’s Church of the Air, in the words of the announcer, was established by the Columbia network so “clergyman of the major faiths might bring their message to a nationwide congregation of worshipers.” This service is “…from the studios of WJEF in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where the 159th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church… is now in session … Mr. Wilbur LeRoe Jr., an attorney of Washington, D.C., who will conduct our service this morning, has just been elected moderator for the coming year. Mr. LeRoe has entitled his sermon, ‘Christ’s Way to Fullness of Life.’” Music for the service provided by the choir of Westminster Presbyterian Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan, directed by Mr. Douglas Peterson. Mr. Peterson is at the organ.
Order of service:
Invocation: Howard Moody Morgan (Tabernacle Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia)
“Fairest Lord Jesus”
Scripture reading and prayer (Howard Moody Morgan)
Here’s another case where I have a record labeled 2 of 2, and I don’t have number 1.
From what I could find, it seems that Invitation to Music was a popular CBS program that played relatively new works by current composers. I wish I had more episodes of this program but it looks like this is all I have.
This show features Mona Paulee and the Columbia Concert Orchestra. The main piece is “Ne Me Refuse Pas” from Massanet’s Herodiade.
