Publisher's Synopsis
This book looks at the anatomy of a big band radio station with the broadcasters and the songwriters. Chapters cover the early dance bands of Paul Whiteman, Leo Reisman, Fred Waring, Casa Loma, Coon-Sanders Nighthawks, Fletcher Henderson, Vincent Lopez, Wayne King and covers vignettes about the ballrooms and pavillions where the bands performed the music of America's Golden Age. Max Wirz of Swiss radio recalls the big bands of Europe, from Syd Lawrence and Ted Heath, right up to today's exciting Thilo Wolf and Andy Prior. A special section covers vocalists Beryl Davis and Carmel Quin, the Wizard of the guitar Les Paul, and magical radio journalist Sally Bennett. The book concludes with Honourable Mentions of bands and vocalists you may or may not know. Richard Grudens again provides a special insight into the lives of the performers who lived within the Jukebox of our lives in this book with over 60 exceptional photos provided by most of the books subjects themselves.
