SwingDJs

On January 26, Swedish swing superstar Alice Babs - "the most unique artist I know" (Duke Ellington) - turned 89. That made me think: "I wonder if any major American swing star is still alive."

Four days later Patty Andrews passed away.

That answered my question and still left me asking myself: "I wonder if any major American swing star is still alive."

Does NT Basie count? If so, Frank Wess.

After Artie Shaw and Jay McShann died, I reckon that was pretty much it.

I reckon if you look at stars of the 1940s there must be a few still alive. I don't know if he counts as a 'major swing star', but I know Ray Anthony is alive ...

http://www.rayanthonyband.com/

Haydn wrote:I reckon if you look at stars of the 1940s there must be a few still alive. I don't know if he counts as a 'major swing star', but I know Ray Anthony is alive ...

Well, Ray Anthony was featured with the Glenn Miller band in the early 40s, so I'd say he counts. Not a superstar like Artie Shaw or Patty Andrews, but still. Good call!

lipi wrote:Does NT Basie count? If so, Frank Wess.

I was thinking about the swing era. Wess was certainly playing then, but I don't think he was well known. As far as I know it was his time with Basie in the 50s that made him a star.

What about female singers? They were often young and often lived healthier lives than the guys.

J-h:n wrote:What about female singers? They were often young and often lived healthier lives than the guys.

Two female American singers who are still alive:

Doris Day (sang with Les Brown in the 1940s)
Recordings include Keep Cool, Fool, Broom Street, There's Good Blues Tonight, The Booglie Wooglie Piggy, Dig It, T'Ain't Me

Bea Wain (sang with Larry Clinton in the 1930s and 1940s)
Recordings include The Dipsy Doodle, Jubilee, Heart and Soul

Haydn wrote: Two female American singers who are still alive:

Doris Day (sang with Les Brown in the 1940s)
Recordings include Keep Cool, Fool, Broom Street, There's Good Blues Tonight, The Booglie Wooglie Piggy, Dig It, T'Ain't Me

Bea Wain (sang with Larry Clinton in the 1930s and 1940s)
Recordings include The Dipsy Doodle, Jubilee, Heart and Soul

Doris! Of course. I knew that she's alive - I just don't tend to think about her as a swing era singer. She's almost exactly the same age as Alice Babs; Doris will turn 89 in April.

Didn't know that Bea still lives. Nice. She'll be 96 this year.

Gerald Wilson, ex-Lunceford and Basie in the 40s.

Cheryl Morris - former vocalist with Harry James, Tex Beneke, Ray McKinley.

I knew there was another thread: http://www.swingdjs.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=240

Doc Severinsen


Carl H Severinsen was born on July 7th, 1927, and was nicknamed “Little Doc” after his father, Dr. Carl Severinsen a dentist. Little Doc had originally wanted to play the trombone. But the senior Severinsen, a gifted amateur violinist, urged him to study the violin. The younger Severinsen insisted on the trombone, but had to settle for the only horn available in Arlington’s small music store — a trumpet. A week later, with the help of his father and a manual of instructions, the seven-year-old was so good that he was invited to join the high school band. At the age of twelve, Little Doc won the Music Educator’s National Contest and, while still in high school, was hired to go on the road with the famous Ted Fio Rito Orchestra.
However, his stay with the group was cut short by the draft. He served in the Army during World War II and following his discharge, landed a spot with the Charlie Barnett Band. When this band broke up, Severinsen toured with the Tommy Dorsey, then, the Benny Goodman bands in the late 40′s.
After his days with Barnett and Dorsey, Doc arrived in New York City in 1949 to become a staff musician for NBC. After years of playing with the peacock network’s studio bands, Severinsen was invited to do a gig with the highly respected Tonight Show Band. An impressed conductor, Skitch Henderson, asked him to join that band in 1962 as first trumpet. Five years later, Doc took over as Music Director for The Tonight Show and stayed with the show until Johnny Carson retired from late night television in 1992.

J-h:n wrote: That answered my question and still left me asking myself: "I wonder if any major American swing star is still alive."

This kind of came up on a list I am on - the question was - are there any bandleaders from the 30s and 40s who are still alive. Only two names came up - Van Alexander in the 30s and Elliot Lawrence in the 40s....and that was it. Once was everyone was still alive and then the ranks began to thin...even ten years ago there were big names still out there.

The vocalists are hanging in there pretty good as was mentioned.

Kay Starr (born July 21, 1922 - still out there

Herb Jeffries - now 99 years old!

Kitty Kallen (born May 25, 1922)

Another male vocalist from the era is still out there, but I forget his name.

Bea Wain has a great story on line (NPR) about going to hear Luciano Pavarotti and he sang the song 'Martha'. She met him back stage and told him she had done a swing version of the tune back in 1937. He asked her to sing it and she did and he was digging it and playing air trombone!

Original - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-_8yQ1lrWw

How about 88-year-old bassist/guitarist/vocalist Carline Ray?

From her great Facebook page ("like" it if you haven't already!):

Carline is a true pioneer in so many aspects of her life. In the mid- to late- 1940s, she was band guitarist and one of the vocalists with the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, and later she was featured vocalist with the Erskine Hawkins big band. She was the only woman to play bass with Sy Oliver’s Orchestra during his longstanding engagement at The Rainbow Room. (She says Sy Oliver liked working with her because she played what he wrote without embellishment -- she just read what was on the page.)

Here's an in-depth interview with her.

Jesse

JesseMiner wrote:How about 88-year-old bassist/guitarist/vocalist Carline Ray?

Jesse

"I wonder if any major American swing star is still alive."

So, she's not a star, but good to know she is still out there.

As is Glenn Miller AAF trombonist, Nat Peck. There is an interview with him on YouTube of mild interest.