Radio and television mirror (Jan-June 1942)

// you've missed Hal Kemp's style of music, you can now hear it under the baton of Art Jarrett, left, along with his Irish tenor voice. Right, Art's vocalist, Gail Robbins. __ HERE'S always an army of over-enthusiastic followers for any new band. Sometimes this premature endorsement does more harm than good and the band fails to live up to its advance reputation. This season has seen many a promising musical group falter on the road to success, unable to fulfill the glowing promises made by their Tin Pan Alley prophets. But one young outfit that has made the grade is Vaughn Monroe's. And here's proof. Last May when they played New York's Paramount theater they were paid an estimated $3,000. When they return there on December 17, the price is a reported $7,500. Enoch Light, who has been off the bandstand more than a year as a result of a serious auto accident, is rehearsing a new band. Another victim of illness, Al Donahue, is fully recuperated and reorganizing his band. Guy Lombardo is quite serious about giving his fifteen-year-old sister. Rose Marie, a singing role in the band. Right now she's being carefully coached. The Lombardos are still packing them in at the Hotel Roosevelt, New York, where they're practically an institution. Latest band to make a movie is Charlie Barnet's. They're working on the Universal lot. The new $1,000,000 Coca-Cola series on Mutual has every band in the country angling for an appearance. Different bands are used every night, with the Saturday night broadcast spot assigned to the band who rolled up the largest phonograph record sales the previous week. These figures are compiled by a certified public accountant and 300 record dealers in 48 states are polled every week. JANUARY, 1942 The rumor-mongers whisper that the Harry James' are splitting. They also insist that Helen Forrest will join the James band as vocalist. Barry Wood's new Lucky Strike renewal gives him a run of three years on The Hit Parade. THIS CHANGING WORLD: Jan Savitt booked for Chicago's Sherman House . . . Billy Butterfield, one of the great trumpeters of our time, now tooting for Artie Shaw . . . Bob Troup, the young Philadelphian who composed "Daddy," is now a permanent member of Sammy Kaye's band . . . Orrin Tucker has signed a new sister team of warblers, 'The Gourleys, aged 14, 15, 17, and 20 . . . Ben Yost, the choral director, turning his attention toward radio work . . . Paula Kelly, an able canary, is singing for Artie Shaw . . . Johnny Messner stays at the McAlpin Hotel in New York until May with an MBS wire . . . Colored singer Billie Holiday married Jimmy Monroe . . . Harry James' vocalist Dick Haymes has wed Joanne Marshall and Andy lona, the Hawaiian bandsman, put a ring on dancer Leimoni Woodd's finger. Carl Hoff believes his decision to lead a dance band instead of a radio unit, has been justified. He's now on a long tour and his Okeh records are best-sellers. The music and lyrics for the new George Abbott hit, "Best Foot Forward," were composed by Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin, who are members of the radio rhythm group. The Martins. Hal Kemp's mother is writing a By KEN ALDEN biography about her son. Discordant note: Trombonist Jack Jenney is bankrupt, result of an unsuccessful bandleading venture. He's now playing under Artie Shaw. A few weeks ago Shep Fields tuned in a local New York radio station to listen to some popular music. He heard an unknown songstress do one song. Then he contacted the radio station and told them to hold the singer until he got there. A few hours later Ann Perry had signed a contract to sing with Shep. Larry Clinton under a similar situation discovered Bea Wain a few years ago. There's still time to cast a ballot for your favorite dance band in the Radio Mirror facing the Music poll to determine the most popular orchestra of 1941. You'll find a ballot at the end of this column. Last year's winner was Sammy Kaye. Kay Kyser has still not made a decision on the successor to Ginny Sims in his band. JARRETT CARRIES ON ONLY six musicians were left from Hal Kemp's band when singer Art Jarrett spoke to them one eventful night last Spring. The rest had drifted away, tired of waiting for a decision on a successor to the wellliked Carolinian who met an untimely death in December, 1940. Most of the boys took Hal's loss pretty hard, and there were amop.g them a few who could not reconcile themselves to a new leader. Little Jackie Shirre, the bass player, accepted a job in NBC's Chicago house band. Singer Bob Allen decided to whip together his own band. Jackie LeMaire had a similar idea. But the half dozen others decided (Continued on page 68) 43