>• 1.1941 Chicago. June 1, 1940 CROSBY ANNIVERSARY ISSUE DOWN BEAT on that. In fact, it has been his genial nature and his willingness to let some of the more technical ‘Got to Feel How the Crosby Band Got Started problems be handled by others in • the band better qualified that has Choice of Three ers. We were guaranteed $5,000 been the biggest factor in the suc­ in two weeks by Cork and believe cess of the band. Well to me, we earned it. Then came two We play the music we like—the Leaders Offered weeks at Tybee Beach in Savan- music we feel. We don’t call it nah, our first location. It was a “2-beat” or “4-beat” or anything Play Well’ BY GIL RODIN terrific click, much to our surprise, else. It’s just the music we like. and Willie Harr, who operated the Matty Matlock and Bob Haggart BY EDDIE MILLER bat Tommy was busy and I had to Beach, recommended us for the have the ability to write down There isn’t any two ways about talk with Cork O’Keefe. That was Adolphus Hotel in Dallas. what we all agree is the music we it—tiie boys in a band must feel when Rockwell-O’Keefe was begin- That also was a fine date. should play. And we just go ahead well in order to play well. One of oing to be a big booking combine. Everyone seemed to go for the and play it. the big reasons why the Crosby Cork listened to some of our rec­ band. But we found we were us­ The band goes into New York band has been successful is because ord* and was pretty much im­ ing the fiddles very little, so we for three weeks at the Strand we all “get along” and enjoy each pressed. dropped Green and hired Artie Theater and then out to Catalina other’s company. “But you boys need a front man," Foster for a second trombone. In Island. The future, in fact, looks We have our moments when we Cork said. “You can’t get by on Dallas Ralph Hitz caught us and pretty rosy now. But it hasn’t flare up, during a hard rehearsal or «ond music alone.” was enthused. As a result he took been easy. If the boys didn’t have after a real long road trip, and us into the Netherland-Plaza in the guts, the musical ability and when we’re all tired. But I’m not r with th« Three Choice« for Front Man Cincy. We clicked there, too. So • Croaby'i the capacity for getting along with Pollyanying any when I say that So I went back and talked to the nisL Sh» we went to the Biscayne Kennel one another, the Crosby band our gang clicks together. Fazola boy*. Cork told me he had three Club in Florida, playing for the wouldn’t be together today. may take a clarinet chorus that men in mind to front our band— dog race crowd. From there we We are strictly a family group really thrills us, or Billy Butter­ Bob Crosby, who was singing with got our first big break. 14 weeks and proud of it. It’s been five field’s trumpet may blast out a riff the Dorsey Brothers’ band; John­ at the New Yorker, and then, on years of good kicks, looking back. that’s so unusual we feel stabbed, nie (Scat) Davis, the scatting the next night, right into the Lex­ and those things happen often. trumpet player, and Goldie, the ington, where Noni Bernardi Man of 999 Faces is Nappy La­ We go along on a pretty even tap-dancing trumpeter with Paul joined on alto and Kay Weber Mare. Crosby'* guitarist who vie* Bob Crosby m a natural athlete. keel. There’s few nights that we Whiteman. We didn’t hesitate. came in as girl vocalist. with Bob Haggart for face-making Besides playing baseball bettor aren’t inspired as we sit up there Crosby was a young guy, some of Gradually, the band was taking honor* within tho band. Nappy is on the stand kicking out the music. a* knew him and he seemed like shape. Everywhere we played we one of the '‘Pollack orphans" who than most ai tho members of his And occasionally, when something a right guy, and we decided to get were a success. But wait a second started with the Dixielanders in '35. band, ho shoots golf consistently in happens to let us down, it’* re­ with him and look him over closely. —we hadn’t hit the Pennsylvania tho low 70«. flected in our playing. ess Stacy The meeting was at a drug store yet, and that’s where we laid ome­ jokingly band and immediately we started the next day on the corner of 55th lets. clicking again. The kids and ’ spot oi itreet and 6th avenue. We ate to­ j* UNEXCELLED Gil Bow- Sullivan Out—Zurke In everyone seemed to like us. Sure gether. Crosby was tickled over different than the Pennsylvania! Il «» Pete th« idea of taking the band, and After the Lexington we went on F QUALITY STRINGS another tour, to Minneapolis, its or be­ I’ll admit I was impressed with Roth Pick« Up Option! ROE ano with Bob’s enthusiasm and sincerity. So Dallas again, and Detroit. Joe Sullivan, who had taken Gil Bow­ Tommy Dorsey was in town. his leg, we closed the deal and Crosby And one night both Spivak and Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass contract- fronted. ers’ place at piano when Gil stayed in New York to study piano, got Yank gave us notice. Tommy had ra, arth- We started rehearsing hard Dalias and it wa^’t uÎHl made them both outlandish offers. Bob Haggart »y. Cork told us we could start off we got to Detroit that we got Bob They couldn’t pass his offer up. t been with a bang making good money. But Butterfield, whom Crosby dis­ (With Bob Crosby’« Orchestra) i to lead Zurke, who was playing in a beer But we still had the Kellogg show. joint, to succeed him. covered on an Austin Wylie radio rhooaea ARTONI string« s so far All of us couldn’t leave at once shot, had joined us shortly before and ««y«: so we took turns, two at a time, About this time, in early ’37, we (on the way to the Palomar after ir; Ray took on Warren Smith in Indian­ swing playing than playing symphonic muaic. The tame can be giving notice. The sponsors never the Congress and Boston Ritz- •aid about at ring». It ia of utmoet importance to «elect the right Haggart, did know that the entire personnel apolis. Then we went into the Carlton engagements) so we didn’t I section, of that “Nichols” band changed Congress in Chicago, where we got miss either too much. I am playing on ARTONI string», and find he band, completely within four weeks! our best air time and started to the band Mr. Roth picked up our option them most suitable for the following reasons: O’Keefe wanted fiddles. We click for sure. That was the turn­ in the ing point From then on we were for another four weeks and we (1 > AKTONI »„lot. didn’t. But he was the boss, and knew we were in. The band was that I have tried. They «re polished and mechanically trued to absolute accuracy, which 1 Weber far better off financially and our account* for their clear ringing lone of maximum volume. had to sell the band, so we got y), Dor- pretty well set by now, we had (2) ARTONI itriap have ■ durability which hardly caa ba exhausted, the reason for Eddie Bergman and Charlie Green. records began to sell. But in Jan­ long ago abandoned Bergman’s and for uary, ’38, when we went into New this I believe is that very particular blend of gut together with a colorleaa moisture-proofia* Then Ray Noble, who was red hot process, which makes them so inexhaustible. Their moisture-proof composition of «everal y Grace York’s Hotel Penn, it was another violin, and the only major disturb­ at the time, made a terrific finan­ ance was when Zurke pulled out to different gut make« them adaptable to any climate and temperature« I came aero«« ia my story. Benny Goodman had just travels. For this reason I have never had a wire loose or bulling wound ARTONI «trlag yet. ve year» cial offer to Spivak and Miller, become a leader himself. Sullivan (3) ARTONI strings are easy on my fingers on account of their smooth hard finish. who accepted. We got Phil Hart left the spot and was playing the came back for a short while but to take Charlie’s lead chair and Paramount Theater. He had just things didn’t quite work out, so Joe Harris, one of the Pollack men finished his first Carnegie “con­ cert” and the town was hysterical when Jess Stacy came in from For these reason« ARTONI airing« are my choice, and are giving who stayed on the coast when we Goodman’s band in the fall of 1939, over his music. me undisputable «atisfaction. all left Ben. came east to take our piano troubles were over. My compliments to ARTONI strings. Miller’s spot. We tried everything. But we About a year ago we got the tip didn’t do business. I figured some­ Get Start at RoM-land that Camel cigarets was looking thing was wrong.