Big Band Serenade

Charles Melvin Williams, 10 July 1911, Mobile, Alabama, USA, d. 15 September 1985, New York City, New York, USA. A self-taught trumpeter, Williams first played professionally in the mid-20s, when he was barely into his teens, appearing in the band run by the family of Lester Young...

On Vacation, enjoyListen to our NEW Radio Station, Oldies Big Band Jazz and More

 



HempUSA Store



 ...

Glenn Miller and his orchestra were first heard on CBS radio in 1939. The show was often broadcast from a "remote" location, such as Cafe Rouge, NY, Paradise Restaurant, NY, and other locations. Mr Miller died in an airplane crash during WW II. His music was famous for several more...

Pete Johnson was one of the three great boogie-woogie pianists (along with Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis) whose sudden prominence in the late '30s helped make the style very popular. Originally a drummer, Johnson switched to piano in 1922.Listen to our NEW Radio Station, Oldies...

Sister of Cab, Blanche Calloway was a popular singer and bandleader during the 1930s. She studied music at Morgan State College before dropping out to pursue a career in show business. Her big break came in 1923 when offered a part in a musical touring company. Her vocal talents qui...

Fred Hall and His Surgar Babies,As a bandleader Hall and his men from recorded prolifically for many labels (see below) from 1925 onwards. Many recordings featured vocalist Arthur Fields with whom Hall enjoyed a lengthy partnership, co-writing several songs.Support Us by supporting our sponors. Hemp...

I am sorry for the quality of the sound. My mixer went out.

Wilbur Schwichtenberg, 12 July 1912, Newton, New Jersey, USA, d. 15 July 1989, Flemington, New Jersey, USA. Bradley played trombone with various bands in New York in the late 20s and at the beginning of the...

A self-taught pianist who never learned to read music, Erroll Garner was nevertheless one of the most popular jazz musicians of the 1950s. His swinging piano and gift for melody kept him on the top of the charts, and his most memorable tune, "Misty" (lyrics added by Johnny Burke) was a pop hit for f...

A popular 30s bandleader, Wayne King has been compared to Lawrence Welk and Fred Waring. Known as the "Waltz King," his repertoire was made up of waltzes, novelty songs and sentimental recordings. The sound was copied by other musicians and made Wayne King famous. It was radio broadcasts, such as th...

Among the more prominent of the pop-singing crooners of the mid-twentieth century, Vic Damone recorded more than 2,000 songs during an active career that began in 1947 and spanned 54 years. With a lush and mellow baritone, he possessed one of the finest singing voices of his era and was widely ackno...