George Byron Sings Jerome Kern

I don't know that cabaret singers are to the taste of many people who come to this blog, but I thought some of you might be interested in this obscurity from 1952. Neither the record nor the singer are well known, but the results are worthwhile.

George Byron was friendly with Jerome Kern, and this record is in fact a program conceived for the singer by the composer. The record had liner notes by Oscar Hammerstein 2nd. So he was highly thought of by some very distinguished personages.

Nevertheless, Byron was and remains little known. Cabaret historian James Gavin notes him in passing as being praised by Kern and Ira Gershwin, and says he appeared at the very swank Café Gala, which operated on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood from 1939-48.

Otherwise, not much information is easily available. He seems to have appeared in some films in the 30s and early 40s, and apparently was a singing MC with the Ice Capades in 1942, appearing in a Republic film with that troupe. He had a sponsored 15-minute radio show in 1946. But then nothing until this 10-inch LP came out in 1952. It first appeared on Desto, and then was taken over by Atlantic in early 1954. Atlantic used the Desto pressings, pasting its labels over the Desto labels.

Byron also recorded a Gershwin LP (which I do not have), and a later collection of Kern songs, which came out on Atlantic in 1959 and which had arrangements by André Previn.

Byron was married to Kern's widow when the Kern LPs came out (a fact not noted on this present record).

It's easy to hear why the composers liked Byron. He had a fine voice, sang the songs straight, with excellent diction and intonation, and seems to have been scrupulously accurate. It's not an approach that is at all popular today - or was so even back in the 1950s - but it has a distinct charm and appeal. You may find Byron's vocal timbre slightly reminiscent of Bobby Short.

This is one of those LPs that can't make up its mind about its name. It's called "A Memo from Jerome Kern to George Byron" on the front, "Jerome Kern Songs Personally Selected for George Byron" on the back, "George Byron Sings Songs by Jerome Kern" on the Desto label, and "George Byron Sings Jerome Kern" on the Atlantic label. I have chosen the last named.

The accompanist here is the excellent pianist William Roy, himself a cabaret legend. The sound is fair, and my pressing is grainy. (Note: this recording is remastered as of 2022 and now has much better sound.)