In this issue... New Releases from CAPITOL THE C O VER Music Views There are very few people in July, 1955 Voi. XIII, No. 7 this country who have not come into contact with a TV set. There are even fewer who do not VIC ROWLAND .... Editor have access to a phonograph. Associate Editors: Merrilyn Hammond, Anyone who has a nodding ac­ Dorothy Lambert. quaintance with either of these appliances is sure to be fa­ miliar with either Jackie Gleason the comedian, Jackie Gleason GORDON R. FRASER . Publisher the musician, or both. This lat­ ter Jackie Gleason, the musi­ Published Monthly By cian, has recently succeeded in coming up with a brand new CAPITOL PUBLICATIONS, INC. sound in recorded music. It's Sunset and Vine, Hollywood 28, Calif. found in a new Capitol album, Printed in U.S.A. "Lonesome Echo." For the full story, see pages 3 to 5. Subscription $1.00 per year. A regular musical united nations is represented by lady and gentlemen pictured above. Left to right they are: Louis Serrano, music columnist for several South American magazines; Dean Martin, whose fame is international; Line Renaud, French chanteuse recently signed to Cap­ itol label; and Cauby Peixoto, Brazilian singer now on Columbia wax. 2 T ACKIE GLEASON has indeed provided mirth strument of lower pitch), four celli, a marim­ " and music to millions of people. Even in ba, four spanish-style guitars and a solo oboe. the few remaining areas where television has Gleason then selected sixteen standard tunes not as yet reached, such record albums as which he felt would lend themselves ideally "Music For Lovers Only" and other Gleason to the effect he had in mind. recordings have made his name a family by­ A recording session was arranged and the word. More than a million of these Capitol tunes recorded. Then a title for the album was albums have been purchased throughout the selected. It had to reflect just exactly the mood country. In fact, they have become so popular which the music and unique orchestration that it is not uncommon to find three different conveyed. Thus the title "Lonesome Echo” Gleason albums listed among the top ten evolved. albums in the nation at one time. To further insure that everything about the But the frenetic Jackie Gleason is never one album would be fresh and different, Salvador to stand still. So, when it came time to begin Dali was commissioned to paint the album preparing a new album, Gleason began looking cover. The result was quite unlike any album around for a new idea ... a new sound. To cover ever before produced and carried out achieve this he assembled one of the most Gleason's novel approach perfectly. different combinations of musical instruments The result of the entire operation promises ever to be heard on record. The instrumenta­ to be another in the string of Gleason hits. tion included a normal rhythm section, sixteen mandolins, four alto domras (a 3-stringer in- across the country Patty Andrews, one of the famous Ann Richards, new vocalist with Danny Thomas explains the televi­ Nat "King" Cole listens to play­ Andrews Sisters, was signed recent­ Stan Kenton ork, looks over the sion facts of life to singer Anna back of new hit disk, "My One Sin." ly to Capitol label as a single. arrangement with the maestro. She Maria Alberghetti during rehearsal Flipside is "I'd Rather Have the First disk release is "Where To, My is heard on two big Kenton releases, for a recent episode of Thomas's Blues," which he sings in Mickey Love" backed by "Without Love." "Casanova" and newest, "Freddy." TV show, "Make Room For Daddy." f Harry James, Les Brown, Lawrence Peggy Lee cuts soundtrack for the Although not primarily known as a This youthful quartet is made up Welk and Freddie Martin take off "Sing a Rainbow" number heard in musician, James Cagney plucks a of the three Paris Sisters with a moment from a recent Dance Or­ the film "Pete Kelly's Blues" being mean guitar in spare time. Here Bing's eldest, Gary. They teamed chestra Leader Association to pose produced by Jack Webb who also he entertains troupe of "Mister up on Decca wax to record newest for pix. Brown's now on Capitol. directs and stars for Warner Bros. Roberts" during shooting of film. disk, "Truly" and "His and Hers." 6 7 moon,” he says. "It was a lot of "The Kids Did It,” Says "Davy” Composer fun writing it — but then — I "The kids did it!" remember, let alone sing songs.” get a kick out of writing music This succinct accusation sounds Born in Portland, Oregon, 41 generally. It’s just what I want as though it might be coming years ago, George has been part to keep doing — writing music from the irate parents of a brood of the West Coast musical scene and playing a tailgate trombone of destructive imps. Actually since 1937, when he was arrang­ in a jazz band.” though, for the past few months ing and playing with such leading George Bruns, composer of "Davy "name” bands as Jack Teagarden’s Crockett," one of the most phe­ and Harry Owens’. An accom­ nomenally successful songs to plished musician, he specializies come along in years, has made a on the trombone, but is more ritual of reverently murmuring than proficient on every other in­ "the kids did it” at least three strument except the drums and times a day. clarinet. To put it mildly, composer Bruns, who worked for the Bruns is slightly stunned (as is UPA cartoon unit and Capitol the music industry generally) by Records before joining Disney, It is quite evident who Mickey Katz the rapid rise of the Crockett bal­ has no explanation other than it portraying above, occasioned by lad. It was just another assign­ "the kids did it” for the popu­ hit hilarious parody of the very ment to the composer, who is one larity of "Davy Crockett.” "May­ well known gent, "Ouvid Crockett." of Disney’s three musical direc­ be it’s just because it’s a happy tors. "We had a production con­ and sincere song,” he says. At TATOO ference one day,” he recalls, "on any rate, the pace at the Disney Recordings of title songs the series of TV shows we were miracle factory is too rapid for have become an important in­ planning on Davy Crockett, and this talented BMI writer to take gredient in the exploitation of Walt came up with the idea of time out to worry about it. With motion pictures, but usually using a song instead of a nar­ the three-part saga of the Alamo the song is heard at least once ration. So Tom Blackburn and hero now television history, al­ during the picture. Such is not I knocked out "Davy.” though there are rumors of a the case with the title song "It was a surprise, all right,” proposed continuation, George is from the new movie, "The continued George, "I had sort of currently busy on Disney's version Rose Tatoo.” The tune, com­ passed ’Davy’ off and didn't think of Jules Verne’s "A Trip to the posed by Jack Brooks and too much about the song until the Moon." Aside from doing the Harry Warren, will probably sound engineers who were work­ background music, he has com­ be recorded by several com­ ing on the finished film began posed a song for the film that he’s Georgia Gibbs, in a recent TV ap­ panies but is never heard in humming it around the lot. That’s quite delighted with. "It’s a kind pearance, gives out with the in­ the picture. It will be used a sure tip-off, ’cause if you know of take-off on every Tin Pan Alley vitation extended by her current strictly for exploitation. engineers, they aren’t the type to song ever written about the click disk, "Dance With Me Henry." « » Introducing----------------------- C A N 'T C U SS BILLY VALENTINE The new Broadway hit Billy Valentine, one of Cap­ "Damn Yankees’’ has created itol’s most recent contractées, a problem among the disk is a musical triple-threat man. jockeys in Boston. Since radio He sings, plays piano and stations are not allowed to use writes songs. He does them all the word "damn” over the air, so well that each of his talents they’re having difficulty figur­ was utilized on his first Capitol ing out how to refer to the recording, "Your Love Has show when they spin records Got Me” and "It’s A Sin.” In of tunes taken from the pro­ addition to his distinctive vo­ duction. Some are calling it cal style and pianistics, Billy "Darn Yankees,” still others wrote both of the tunes. the country. Later he formed say "Dang Yankees,” "Dern 27-year-old Billy began his own trio and won first Yankees" or "Doggone Yan­ singing in school choirs in his prize on the Arthur Godfrey kees.” However, fans of most native Alabama. He joined Talent Scouts show. He broke of the baseball teams have no the Navy in 1946 and learned up the group to go out as a such difficulty. They’re per­ to play piano while in the single and has appeared in fectly content to leave it the service. After his discharge many of the nation’s top clubs way it was. he attended Morehouse Col­ as well as innumerable tele­ lege in Atlanta. Georgia. He vision and radio shows.