Live from Ireland
Mario Lanza (1921 – 1959) was an American tenor and Hollywood movie star who enjoyed success in the late 1940s and 1950s. His voice was considered by many to rival that of Enrico Caruso, whom Lanza portrayed in the 1951 film The Great Caruso. Lanza was able to sing all types of music. While his highly emotional style was not universally praised by critics, he was immensely popular and his many recordings are still prized today.
Jack Fina (1913 - 1970) was a bandleader, songwriter, and pianist.
Known as “The Ten Most Talented Fingers On Radio,” he joined Freddie Martin’s band in 1936 that and gained real fame, when he was featured on Martin’s famous recording of “Tonight We Love”.
After leaving Martin in 1946, Fina formed his own 16-piece band and his first appearance was at the Claremont Hotel “high atop the Oakland-Berekely Hills overlooking San Francisco Bay, just a few minutes drive from the city with the golden gate”.
The vocals were handled by Harry Prime and Gil Lewis. With good air time and good recordings, Fina became a national figure. Because of this, Fina appeared at the other top venues in the US, including the Waldorf-Astoria and the Aragon Ballroom.
He also appeared in several films, including Melody Time (1948) and Disc Jockey (1951). A noted songwriter, his credits included Dream Sonata (his theme song), Chango and Piano Portraits, examples of which can be found in the standard Jack Fina and His Orchestra (1949).
In the 1950s, he reduced the size of his band and settled in San Francisco. He also operated a talent agency called the Concerto Music & Entertainment Agency with his manager Al King. In the early 1960s, Fina led a small band at the Beverly Hills Hotel, where he remained for a successful eight years. It was also around the same time that he appeared, as a single, on Dick Sinclair’s television show.
Fina died on May 14, 1970 from a heart attack during an engagement at the Beverly Hills Hotel. He is buried at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, California.
Henry Burr (1882 - 1941) was the name of the day. A singer of popular songs from the early part of the early 20th century, and an early radio performer and producer. He was one of the first singers to make popular acoustic recordings and one of the most prolific recording artists of all time, with more than 12,000 recordings according to his own estimate. A tenor, he performed as a soloist and also in duets, trios and quartets. His most famous collaboration was the Peerless Quartet.
Like all singers of the age many of sings were sentimental songs to Ireland, and things Irish. Here are a couple, not actually from 1906, but close enough, listen for all the keywords in including the mandatory “Killarney” and its matching, but less popular, “Blarney” numerous times.
The name of the day was Louis Prima. The format was big band, the year 1939. From September 21st (that is just 20 days after Germany invaded Poland, which is said to have started World War II)
Fortunately someone recorded an entire day on US radio, and that included a full hour of pop music. While we think of 1939 as very long ago the music is still fresh. So listen now to number 19 of Complete Broadcast Day Series, it includes half an hour of a young Louis Prima. (Copyright expired)
Do you want more “Old Time Radio”, leave a comment.
Comments