Friday

JUNE 16TH







BIRTHDAYS

1905
'Bud' Fisher, Leader
aka: "Scott Fisher and his Orch."
b. New York, NY, USA
d. August 2, 1972, Flemington, NJ, USA.
b. June 16, 1905, New York, NY, USA.
d. August 2, 1972, Flemington, NJ, USA

Winfield Scott ("Bud") Fisher was born in the Bronx, New York on June 16, 1905. He moved to Bogota, Bergen County, New Jersey at age 13. He and younger brother William Hardy "Billy" Fisher, known in 1923 as "The Musical Fishers," made one of their earliest appearances at "The Sphinx Club" in New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel on the same bill with the legendary Will Rogers. Scott was only 17, while Billy was just 9.

Using a foundation of himself on piano and kid brother Billy on sax and clarinet (and later handling orchestrations), Scott organized his first band as a teenager. Eventually, they became known in the New York/New Jersey area as "Bud Fisher & His Commodores."
Into the early 1930s, Scott's orchestra became known throughout New York and New Jersey, playing numerous dates on area radio stations like WABC, WEAF, WAAT, WJZ, and WADA. Scott, Billy, and company also performed at New Jersey's legendary "Rustic Cabin" for two years, among their numerous other club appearances. "Bud Fisher & His Commodores" were regulars on Cunard Line cruise ships, performing on runs to Cuba and Bermuda, and were winter mainstays at Bermuda's "Bermudiana Hotel." The band also recorded several commercial pressings, and performed at the famous Coconut Grove Room at New York's Park Central Hotel.
Around 1935, the band went on several two-month tours, only to return to the New York area without a gig. As a result, the orchestra split up. Had they been able to survive that period, the Fisher band may well have become one of the top names in the business as the movement of individual band members shortly after the breakup illustrates:
Harold Mooney, the piano player, went on to arrange for Hal Kemp; Gordon Griffin found a place for his horn with Benny Goodman; "Toots" Camarata became Jimmy Dorsey's arranger; the third trumpet player (name unknown) joined up with Casa Loma; while Billy Fisher became sax/clarinet man and arranger for Russ Morgan. (Billy later filled a similar role for Al Donahue, before becoming Ray Bloch's "right-hand man" for roughly 35 years, the bandleader for whom he arranged the music of "The Ed Sullivan Show" for all 24 seasons.)
Scott Fisher later became Head Copiest for Ray Bloch. He also worked in this capacity for numerous Broadway shows including "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," "Golden Boy," "The Apple Tree," "My Fair Lady," and "The Music Man," mostly under the direction of Elliot Lawrence. He died on August 2, 1972 in Flemington, New Jersey at age 67. Billy Fisher died in Greenwich, Connecticut on April 24, 1972. ~American Big Bands Database Plus


1910
Ilona Massey
actress/singer
b. Budapest Hungary
Appeared in several Hollywood films, including one where she played the villianess. It is a shame that Hollywood never took advantage of her wonderful singing voice. (Try to hear her version of "At The Balalaika".) Ilona also had her own: Ilona Massey Show

1924
Eli "Lucky" Thompson
Tenor/soprano sax
b. Detroit, MI.
Taught by Bobby Byrne's Father as well as with Francis Hellstein (Detroit Symphony) and with John Phelps (Harmony and Theory). Toured with the "Bama State Collegians" (college band) then led by the Trenier Twins. 1943 found him in New York City where he worked along side such other musicians as Lionel Hampton; Don Redman; Sid Catlett; and Ray Parker, as well as working in Billy Ekstine's orig (1944) band.
During 1944-'45, he worked with Erroll Garner, Lucky Millinder and bassist Slam Stewart. '44-5 found him in the Count Basie orch. In 1946-7, he lived in Los Angeles, CA, and was a prolific recording musician working with (among others) vocalist Dinah Washington, Dizzy "Gillespie, Buddy Baker, Boyd Raeburn, and Ike Carpenter. He also won the Esquire "New Star Award for 1947".
In 1948 back to New York City. In 1951, formed his own band which gigged fairly steadily at the famed Savoy Ballroom (in Harlem). He decided to write songs, and formed his own publishing company (Great Music). He was in Europe in 1956, and even subbed Baritone Sax in Stan Kenton's band. Back in the USA, he played Tenor on some Kenton Recordings. From 1957 on, Thompson has made France his home due to both finding enough work to keep him going, as well as for the greater acceptance of his work there as compared to the USA. In 2003, he was again living in Seattle, WA, USA.
Notable Events Occurring
On This Date Include:

1939.
"Chick" Webb, drums/leader
died in Baltimore, MD, USA.

1970.
Lonnie Johnson
guitar/piano/violin
died in Toronto, ON, Canada.
Age: 71

1987.
Trumpeter "Kid" Thomas Valentine
died in New Orleans, LA, USA.

1987.
Patricio Serrano, guitar
died in Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Age: 78.
Played with Louis Prima

1988.
John Jordan, lead vocals
died in Chicago, IL, USA.
Age: 74
Member: 'The Four Vagabonds'


Songs Recorded/Released
On This Date Include:

1913

Hilo Hawaiians (Arthur Pryor band)
  • "Aloha Oe/Hawaii Ponoi"

1916

Deiro Pietro's Band
  • "By Heck"
1921





Paul Whiteman Orch.
  • In a Boat
  • Sweetheart
  • You're The Sweetest Girl (introducing "What Could Be Sweeter?"
1922

Bailey's Lucky Seven
  • Nobody Lied - Featuring Cliff Edwards (Ukulele Ike)
  • Sweet Indiana Home


Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra
Oriental (fox Trot) (acoustical) (Introducing "My Heart at Thy Sweet Voice")

1923

Ellen Coleman accompanied by Lem Fowler's Orchestra
  • Daddy Ease It To Me
  • Satisfied Blues (A Barrel House Blues)

1925

  • Bow Legged Papa



































1926

Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five
  • Dropin' Shucks - Vocal Chorus by Louis Armstrong
  • I'm Gonna Gitcha - Vocal Chorus by Louis Armstrong
  • Who' Sit

Blue Grass Foot Warmers
  • Senorita Mine - (Clarence Williams / Fats Waller)
1927

  • Who Was The Lady ? - (Tom Stacks vocal)
1928

Nick Lucas
  • "When You Said Goodnight"
1930
Annette Hanshaw
  • If I Had A Boy Like You
  • My Future Just Passed - (from "Safety In Numbers")

1931















Ethel Waters






  • Without That Gal!
  • You Can't Stop Me From Loving You
1932

Isham Jones and his Orchestra
  • Please Handle With Care
  • Strange As It Seems
Jack Hylton Orchestra
  • "You're Blase"
~Russ Columbo Orch. w/ Russ Columbo voc.
"Just Another Dream of You"
LYRICS:
JUST ANOTHER DREAM OF YOU
(Joe Burke / Benny Davis)
Just another dream of lovers in the moonlight
Just another dream of you
We would roam among the roses
For the roses love you too
Just another dream of teardrops when we parted
Leaving me alone and blue
Each night when shadows creep
I lay me down to sleep
For just another dream of you.







My Future Just Passed
music by Richard A. Whiting (top l-r: Johnny Mercer, Richard Whiting)
lyric by George Marion, Jr.

There goes the girl I dreamed all through school about,
There goes the girl I'll now be a fool about,
Ring down the curtain I'm certain at present, my future just passed.

Don't even know if she has been spoken for,
If she is tied, the ties must be broken, for life can't be that way,
To wake me, then break me, my future just passed.

Stars in the blue, though you're at a distance, you can at least do this.
Sometimes a boy encounters resistance, help me to win this miss...

Here in my arms, may she find illusion there,
Look in my heart, there is no confusion there.
Now that I'm loving, I'm living at last, my future just passed...






brought to you by...
~confetta






Special Thanks To:
The Red Hot Jazz Archives,
The Big Band Database, Scott Yanow,
and all those who have provided content,
images and sound files for this site.
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