Tommy Tucker

Gerald Duppler, better known under his stage name of Tommy Tucker, led a semi-popular orchestra for a little over 25 years.  Tucker opened each live performance with his signature "tic-toc, tic-toc, it's Tommy Tucker time." Personally, I felt that tic-toc was a little annoying as a signature, but to each their own.

In 1933, Tommy Tucker and His Band found themselves based in California, in fact, at the time of his first recordings in 1933 the band was known as Tommy Tucker and His Californians.  In 1935, they formally switched over to Tommy Tucker and His Orchestra and later they sometimes were billed as Tommy Tucker Time.  The music they played was very much on the "sweet" side of the musical spectrum.  Tommy Tucker and His Orchestra are best remembered for their biggest hit, "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire" but for me, my favorite by them is a song called "The Man That Comes Around".  The Soundie that was later filmed for the song is hilarious.

Listen to "The Man That Comes Around" by Tommy Tucker Time

Tucker received a lot of airplay on the radio in the 1940's. Overall, Tommy Tucker's music was just fun to listen to. The band didn't feature many big names but did include Hal Dennis on piano.  Eydie Gorme actually sang with the band for awhile. 

Tucker eventually retired and became a professor in music at Monmouth College in New Jersey.

You can hear Tucker Tucker and His Orchestra right here on Swing City Radio.

Remember:  If you would like access to Bonus Content and Podcast Extras then join our Patreon and become a Hepcat.  It's a great way to support the station.  

Check it out at: SupportSwing.com

Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Streaming Online from King of Prussia, PA. Commercial Free!

Read More

Watch: Jumpin' Jive

Here is a clip featuring Cab Calloway and His Orchestra performing his hit "Jumpin' Jive".  This performance is from the movie "Stormy Weather" which was released in 1943.  Cab and the band put on a great show in this one, but the true stars of this clip are the Nicholas Brothers.  They were such amazing dancers.

Stormy Weather is filled with some great music including songs by Fats Waller, Lena Horne and of course, Cab Calloway.

Enjoy!

Watch: Cab Calloway perform his hit "Jumpin' Jive"

Remember:  If you would like access to Bonus Content and Podcast Extras then join our Patreon and become a Hepcat.  It's a great way to support the station.  

Check it out at: SupportSwing.com

Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Streaming Online from King of Prussia, PA. Commercial Free!

Read More

Vincent Lopez

Vincent Lopez was one of America's most popular bandleaders in the late 1920's, the 30's, and would remarkably retain that status through the 1940's.  Born of Portuguese immigrant parents in Brooklyn, New York, he was leading his own band in New York City by 1917.  In late 1921, his band began broadcasting on the new medium of entertainment of the time, radio.  This helped Lopez achieve huge success.

Lopez would go on to record countless songs, many of them hits.  He also had some future Big Band Greats pass through his band including:  Artie Shaw, Xavier Cugat, Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller.  And speaking of Glenn Miller, long time Miller vocalist Marion Hutton along with her sister Betty Hutton were members of Lopez's band for a time.

Listen to Vincent Lopez and his huge hit "Nola"

Lopez's flamboyant style of piano playing influenced such later musicians as Eddy Duchin and Liberace.  In 1941 Lopez's Orchestra began a residency at the Taft Hotel in Manhattan that would last 20 years.  Very impressive!

You can hear the music of Vincent Lopez and His Orchestra right here on Swing City Radio.

Remember:  If you would like access to Bonus Content and Podcast Extras then join our Patreon and become a Hepcat.  It's a great way to support the station.  

Check it out at: SupportSwing.com

Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Streaming Online from King of Prussia, PA. Commercial Free!

Read More

Dave Barbour

Dave Barbour, at one point in his career, chose love over music.  While working as a guitarist for the Benny Goodman Orchestra, he and Peggy Lee fell in love.  Peggy Lee was the female lead for Goodman's band at the time and he had a strict rule: "No band members should fraternize with the girl singer." Well, Dave married Peggy, Benny fired Dave, Peggy left the band and the world moved on.

Barbour started off his career as a banjo player.  He played in the bands of some big names including Adrian Rollini and Wingy Manone.  Around 1935, Dave switched over to the guitar and was quite good.  He immediately found work with Red Norvo's band but also stayed very busy as a studio musician working with the likes of Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller and Raymond Scott to name only a few.

In the early 1940's, Barbour joined Benny Goodman's Orchestra and that is where he met Miss Peggy Lee.  After they left the band Dave was still finding a lot of work, but Peggy was quite content on staying home and being Mrs. Barbour.  Dave is credited for motivating and inspiring his wife into resuming her music career telling her that "she had too much talent to stay at home and someday she might regret it."

Watch: "Why Don't You Do Right" by Dave Barbour and Peggy Lee

Eventually, Barbour went on to be Peggy's co-writer, accompanist, and bandleader.  Together, they recorded and wrote a lot of fantastic music.  Barbour also performed without Peggy at times and his band was a real top-notch outfit.  Unfortunately, the couple divorced in 1951 and Barbour left the music industry and acted in a few Hollywood movies. 

Dave Barbour passed away in 1965 of a hemorrhaged ulcer.  He was only 53.

You can hear the music of David Barbour and Peggy Lee right here on Swing City Radio.

Remember:  If you would like access to Bonus Content and Podcast Extras then join our Patreon and become a Hepcat.  It's a great way to support the station.  

Check it out at: SupportSwing.com

Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Streaming Online from King of Prussia, PA. Commercial Free!

Read More

Soundie: Jam Session

Today's Soundie is called Jam Session and is led by the legendary Duke Ellington. As the band arrives one by one to the Harlem Cats Café, they just can't resist joining in on a rendition of "C-Jam Blues".  Some of the other iconic musicians included in this Soundie from 1942 are: Barney Bigard, Sonny Greer, Ray Nance, Joe 'Tricky Sam' Nanton, Rex Stewart, and Ben Webster.  Enjoy!

Remember:  If you would like access to Bonus Content and Podcast Extras then join our Patreon and become a Hepcat.  It's a great way to support the station.  

Check it out at: SupportSwing.com

Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Streaming Online from King of Prussia, PA. Commercial Free!

Read More

Bobby Sherwood

Bobby Sherwood led a very good band that did quite well in the 1940's and had a career that spanned more than half a century.  He is best known for his work on the trumpet and guitar but Sherwood was a unique talent because he could play almost every instrument in the band, and play them well. Sherwood may not be remembered as a big name of the Swing Era, but he was very respected in the music business and released some very good records.

Bobby started his career at the age of 12 playing banjo in his parents' band.  During his teens, Sherwood spent his time teaching himself how to play multiple instruments and became a well rounded musician.  When he was 22 years old, he replaced Eddie Lang as the guitarist for Bing Crosby in 1933 and remained with Crosby until he left in the early 40's to form his own band.  He also did some arranging for Jimmy Dorsey and Artie Shaw during this time.

Throughout the 1940's, Sherwood released great recordings and even landed a few hits. He was also doing a lot of radio work including leading the house band for Eddie Cantor's radio program and as a regular on the Hillman Hour.  In the mid-1940s, he hosted his own radio program, "The Bobby Sherwood Orchestra". 

He did some acting in Hollywood for a bit, but for the most part, the latter part of his career was spent working as a disc jockey. Sherwood was still very involved in music and playing until his death in 1981.

Listen to: "The Elks' Parade" by Bobby Sherwood and His Orchestra.

Interesting Notes:  

Sherwood married Dorothy Virginia Gumm, the sister of Judy Garland, and worked as a bandleader for Judy Garland during sessions at Decca Records.

His sons Billy and Michael are both musicians.  Billy Sherwood definitely followed in his father's footsteps being able to play multiple instruments extremely well and is a heck of a singer.  The brothers have been big names in the Progressive Rock scene since the late 1980's and Billy is currently a member of Yes.  (I was a HUGE Yes fan growing up and still love and follow them today!)

You can hear many of Bobby Sherwood's songs right here on Swing City Radio.

Remember:  If you would like access to Bonus Content and Podcast Extras then join our Patreon and become a Hepcat.  It's a great way to support the station.  

Check it out at: SupportSwing.com

Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Streaming Online from King of Prussia, PA. Commercial Free!

Read More

Soundie: Hollywood Boogie

Today's Soundie comes courtesy of Thelma White and Her All Girl Orchestra.  The title is known to some as "Choo Choo" but the official name of this piece is "Hollywood Boogie".  This song really swings and it's fun to watch Thelma wiggle and glide across the stage very much like Ina Ray Hutton.

White was known more as an actress.  She was in many good films but is known mostly for her role in the cult classic film "Reefer Madness".  During World War II, White joined United Servicemen Overseas, a government program that provided entertainment for the American troops, and performed as the leader of this all female swing band.

Watch: "Hollywood Boogie" by Thelma White and Her All Girl Orchestra

Thelma White and Her All Girl Orchestra filmed a few Soundies and did many tours to support and entertain the American troops.  Unfortunately, during one of those tours to Alaska, she contracted a crippling disease while in the Aleutian Islands. Thelma was bedridden for five years and was told she never would walk again. Although she partially recovered and appeared in a few late 1940s films, her career was pretty much over.

Remember:  If you would like access to Bonus Content and Podcast Extras then join our Patreon and become a Hepcat.  It's a great way to support the station.  

Check it out at: SupportSwing.com

Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Streaming Online from King of Prussia, PA. Commercial Free!

Read More