Johnnie Johnston: 'Platinum Hair, SIlver Pipes'

Capitol News, September 1945

Johnnie Johnston (1915-96) is forgotten today, but at one it time seemed possible that he could become a star not only as a singer but in the movies.

Today his legacy includes his excellent records on Capitol and M-G-M, plus a few Soundies and one starring role in a B picture. In this post we'll examine 28 of his single sides, while speculating why he never took the final step to lasting fame.

Band vocalist

Like most singers of the era, the St. Louis-born Johnston first gained notice by stepping out to handle the vocals with a big band. He was featured with Art Kassel and Richard Himber, both well-known leaders.

Johnston made his first records with Himber. The download includes his solos on that leader's singles of "Day Dreaming" and the "Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup" of Hildegarde and later Nat Cole fame. He handles the vocals well, betraying the influence of Bob Eberly in his phrasing. That phase soon passed, and from then on he was his own man, although recognizably from the school of Bing Crosby.

Radio Mirror, May 1938

Johnston also was on the radio during this early period, increasing his popularity so much that he became a single act and began a film career. He continued appearing on radio through the 40s and into the 50s. The download includes a few articles on him from Radio Mirror, including one fanciful biography that has him boxing, jumping freight trains, working on a passenger liner and selling matchbooks door-to-door, some of which might be vaguely related to the truth.

1942, Capitol records and films

The new Capitol Records company called him shortly after setting up shop in 1942, and he became the fourth artist to record for the company.

We start with the painful Jule Styne-Herb Magidson novelty "Conchita Marquita (Lolita Pepita Rosita Juanita Lopez)," a sort of Latin "Abie's Irish Rose." This comes to us from the inexplicably titled Paramount musical Priorities on Parade, set in a war factory. Johnston was fourth-billed in the film, and can be seen with co-star Ann Miller doing "I'd Love to Know You Better" on YouTube.

With Ann Miller in Priorities on Parade

It was a busy year for the singer. He also can be seen in the Soundie "Sailboat in the Sky" and the then-current novelty "Goodbye, Mama, I'm Off to Yokohama," the latter with Marilyn Maxwell, here billed as Marvel Maxwell.

The flip of "Conchita Marquita" was the more palatable "Windmill Under the Stars," an attractive and almost unknown Kern-Mercer song.

His next Capitol waxing included another Kern-Mercer song, "Dearly Beloved," the gorgeous balled from the Astaire-Hayward musical You Were Never Lovelier. Johnston handles it beautifully. The anonymous backing comes with a two-beat piano solo that seems out of place. The other side of the record was Cole Porter's "Easy to Love," with a Gordon Jenkins accompaniment.

Jenkins returned for Johnston's next single, "That Old Black Magic," the famous Arlen-Mercer torch song written for and introduced by Johnston in the film Star-Spangled Rhythm - surely one of the high points of his career. Johnston also sang the Styne-Loesser "Here Comes Katrinka" in the film. Capitol spared us that one, instead backing "That Old Black Magic" with the oldie "Can't You Hear Me Calling, Caroline."

1944-45 singles

The Musicians Union struck the record companies on August 1, 1942. This was a particular hardship for Capitol, which had only started issuing records a month before. Capitol became one of the first companies to settle with the union, in October 1943.

Billboard ad

We pick up Johnston's Capitol output with two songs from 1944 films: Raye-dePaul's "Irresistible You" from Broadway Rhythm, and the fabulous Frank Loesser song "Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year" from Christmas Holiday, which, despite the title and the presence of Gene Kelly and Deanna Durbin, was a downbeat film noir. Paul Weston led the orchestra, and presumably provided the sumptuous charts.

The next number was one of Johnston's biggest hits - "(All of a Sudden) My Heart Sings." A French song by Henri Laurent Herpin, it was a hit for Jean Sablon as "Ma Mie" in 1942. With English lyrics by Harold Rome, it was interpolated into the Gene Kelly-Frank Sinatra musical Anchors Aweigh in 1945, where it was sung by Kathryn Grayson. Coincidentally, she and Johnston were to marry in 1947, one of his five ot six marriages (sources vary). The flip side of "My Heart Sings" was Ray Noble's "What a Sweet Surprise."

Next we have another success for Johnston - "Laura," written by Johnny Mercer and David Raksin for the film of the same name. Mercer - one of the owners of Capitol - apparently had great confidence in Johnston. It was well placed; Johnston's version is very fine. The backing here, as on the previous single, was by Paul Baron. The B-side was "There Must Be a Way," a pop song of the day that has some lasting appeal.

Also from 1945, we have another Johnny Mercer song, this time with music by Harry Warren - "Wait and See" from The Harvey Girls score. A good song but not one as well remembered as others from Warren. "Autumn Serenade" from Peter DeRose and Sammy Gallop completed the single coupling. Carl Kress, better known as a guitarist, was the orchestra leader.

For Johnston's final Capitol single (at least in this collection) we have "One More Dream (and She's Mine)" coupled with "As Long as I Live." The Manning-Kaye "One More Dream" is a precursor to "Five Minutes More," a Cahn-Styne song of the following year with a similar theme and melody. "As Long as I Live" was a Max Steiner-Charles Tobias song written for Saratoga Trunk. On these records, Johnston acquired the backing of the Satisfiers, who usually backed Perry Como on his radio show sponsored by Chesterfield ("They Satisfy!").

On to M-G-M Records

Capitol News, December 1945

For reasons unknown to me, Johnston left Capitol in 1946 for M-G-M Records. My guess is that the move was related to his being signed to appear in M-G-M biopic of Jerome Kern, Till the Clouds Roll By. In any case, Johnston's two numbers - a duet of "The Song is You" with Kathryn Grayson and a reprise of "Dearly Beloved," which he had recorded for Capitol in 1942 - were dropped from the film. It's been written that this was because Johnston had offended studio honcho Louis B. Mayer. That may be true, but I will note that three other non-Johnstone songs were deleted from the final print as well.

Whatever his relations with Mayer, Johnston did continue to make good singles for the M-G-M recording company - and as with Capitol he was blessed with good material, at least initially. Our first M-G-M single, from 1947, couples Victor Young's "Stella by Starlight" with the lesser-known but still excellent "Spring Isn't Everything," a Harry Warren tune with words by Ralph Blane. Leading the band is the little known Emil Vandas.

The next single also contains a gem: "Lazy Countryside," written for Disney's Fun and Fancy Free by Bobby Worth. It was backed by a lesser song, "Forgiving You." Dick Jones held the baton for this and the following session.

The next set produced a cover of the O'Connor-Kassen tune "How Lucky You Are," which had been a UK hit for Vera Lynn in 1946, backed by "Why Should I Cry Over You," later recorded by Sinatra.

Another musicians strike cost the recording industry most of 1948. When Johnston returned to the studio, he was faced with somewhat weaker material. "The Rose of Tularosa" is one of the many songs where the wandering singer meets an enchantress in a bistro. Often (e.g., Marty Robbins' incredible "El Paso") these scenarios end tragically. This one has a happy ending. For the geographically curious, Tularosa is in New Mexico. The backing is the annoying "Echoes," where the arranger (presumably bandleader Russ Case) couldn't resist having a group called the Chansonettes provide a reverb-laden echo effect.

Two songs from 1950 complete our survey of Johnston's recording career. First is "As We Are Today," an Ernesto Lecuona song with English lyrics by Charles Tobias that was slotted into Warner Bros.' The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady. The other side of the 78 was another movie tune, the attractive "Autumn Serenade," from Young Man with a Horn. Ray Heindorf and Sammy Cahn were the authors.

Coda

Although his M-G-M contract and the best part of his Hollywood career ended in 1950, Johnston did have one final success left. He was cast as one of the leads in the Broadway musical adaptation of Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, which boasted a well-regarded score by Arthur Schwartz and Dorothy Fields. Johnston was featured throughout, singing most of the songs except for "Love Is the Reason."

With Shirley Booth in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Although the play ran for the better part of a year, it was not considered a success, mainly related to choices that director and co-author George Abbott made. Abbott built up a subsidiary part to feature Shirley Booth. This threw the play off kilter. He also added an elaborate nightmare ballet that wasn't a success.

Johnston never appeared on Broadway again. He returned to Hollywood and occasional roles on television and in films, including an improbable featured part in Rock Around the Clock.

Why wasn't he more successful? Luck always is involved in these matters, but some anecdotes (such as the Louis B. Mayer incident) indicate that he may not have been that easy to work with. Whatever the reasons, he left a substantial body of song for us to enjoy.

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Evensong at King's College, Cambridge, 1956

The tradition of choral Evensong in Anglican churches reaches back to 1549 and the first Book of Common Prayer, by which time the Choir of King's College, Cambridge had been in existence for more than a century.

Fan vaulting in the chapel

This present recording of Evensong is of course much closer to our own day, having been taped in 1956, but it nonetheless is fully in line with traditions that date back centuries.

Both the choir and the vast King's College Chapel were initiated by King Henry VI. The Chapel is an astonishing edifice, topped by the world's largest fan vault. The effect of choral Evensong in this space is magnificent.

At the time of the recording, the choir was directed by Boris Ord, who had held the position since 1929, with time out for war service. There have been only three choir directors since him: Sir David Willcocks (1957-74), Sir Philip Ledger (1974-82) and Sir Stephen Cleobury (1982-present). Daniel Hyde will succeed to the post this fall.

Click to enlarge

I am virtually certain that this, the choir's second recording on Argo, is the first LP of Evensong from King's College. The first was a 1954 recording of the Christmas Eve program of lessons and carols, which appeared on this blog 10 years ago, and which I remastered and reuploaded a few days ago. Argo advertised both records in the December 1956 issue of Gramophone (at right).

Services of Evensong include readings from the Bible and the singing of psalms and the canticles Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis. This LP draws upon the music of English composers ranging back to the 16th century (responses by William Smith) and the early 17th century (an introit by Adrian Batten). The Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis are by Sir Charles Stanford and date from the late 19th or early 20th century. The anthem "My Beloved Spake" is by the 20th century composer Patrick Hadley, and a concluding voluntary was written by Francis Jackson, organist at York Minster at the time of the recording.

The choir consisted then and now of both boy choristers and young men, called choral scholars. At the time of the recording, the latter included the bass Christopher Keyte, later to become a well-known singer. He does not have a solo on the record, but does present one of the readings.

The LP sonics are true to the resonant sound of the vast chapel.

Boris Ord and choristers in King's College Chapel, 1956

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Christmas in July with Ernie - Plus the Weavers and the King's College Choir

All this month my friend Ernie, the Christmas music fanatic, has been posting his annual Christmas in July shares over at his blog. These consist of Christmas-related or at least acquainted songs that have appeared on non-Christmas albums. And if you think there can't be many such specimens, Ernie has already uploaded about 500 of them so far this month. He is almost as energetic and diligent as Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.

My own favorites are three Marin and Marais songs from the 50s. But there also have been tunes from artists I like such as Kenny Baker, the Hi-Los, Georgia Gibbs, Richard Hayman, Chet Baker, Dick and Kiz Harp, Dolf van der Linden, David Munrow, Jack Teagarden, George Shearing, Skitch Henderson, Esquivel, Jane Froman, Victor Young, Hal Kemp and Bill Medley. Plus the usual handbell ringers, children's choirs, music boxes and organists. I think every handbell and music box in North America has been heard from so far.

I've been remiss in not sending you his way earlier this month, so now you have about 50 posts to pick through. But it's a worthwhile endeavor if you love the holiday sounds.

Ernie has been trying to incite me to do my own Christmas in July post, but I don't have anything new for you. The best I can provide are remastered versions of two favorite old shares, as detailed below. The links take you to the original posts.

The Weavers - We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Made during their initial flush of success, the Weavers' holiday album is a real treasure. As I wrote a decade ago, "There is joy and optimism in the Weavers' presentation of these songs, and their approach manages to sound both plain-spoken and sophisticated at once. All these songs (with the possible exception of the inescapable and seemingly endless 'Twelve Days of Christmas') have a freshness that is rare in the genre."

Choir of King's College, Cambridge - A Festival of Lessons and Carols. This 1954 record was the first LP capturing the famous choir's Christmas Eve service in the vast space and glorious acoustic of King's College Chapel. It is awesome in the truest sense of the word.

In the next few days, I will be uploading a 1956 album from the same source, capturing a Choral Evensong service. It, too, is treasurable.

Merry Christmas in July, everyone!

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The Popular Lecuona

My recent post of a few Morton Gould recordings of the music of Ernesto Lecuona (1895-1963) led me to seek out recordings that would demonstrate how the Cuban composer’s music became popular in America during the 1930s into the 50s.

This post is the result. It compiles 24 versions of Lecuona’s most popular compositions, drawn from 78s and soundtrack recordings. These include different interpretations of the songs that Gould orchestrated: "Andalucía" ("The Breeze and I"), "Malagueña," "La Comparsa" and "Jungle Drums."

Alfredo Brito

Perhaps the first Lecuona melody to become popular in the U.S. was his 1929 composition "Siboney.” (Siboney is a town in Cuba, and by extension can be understood to refer to Cuba itself.) The song gained notice in 1931 via a record by Alfredo Brito and His Siboney Orchestra, the first item in our collection.

Many artists have since recorded “Siboney,” often with the English lyrics written by Dolly Morse that have nothing to do with Lecuona’s original words. Bing Crosby recorded the English version in 1945 with Xavier Cugat and his Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra. Cugat was prominent in America at the time and recorded many Latin songs, but nonetheless his was not considered an “authentic” Cuban band, even though he spent much of his youth in that country.

The young Cugat. He later grew hair.

Cugat in fact popularized the second Lecuona composition in the set, "Para Vigo Me Voy” (“I’m Going to Vigo,” a town in Spain), which became known as "Say Si, Si" after acquiring Al Stillman’s English lyrics. Cugat recorded it in 1935, the year of its composition. The English version became a hit in 1940, with the Andrews Sisters having the best-selling disc. The download includes both the Cugat and Andrews records.

The next song, “Jungle Drums,” was called “Canto Karabali” by Lecuona when he published it in 1933. I believe “Karabali” refers to African slaves brought to Cuba from a particular region of Africa. Both versions in the playlist come from 1939, the first by Artie Shaw and his band, the second from Cugie again, with an unlikely vocal by Dinah Shore, making one of her first appearances on record. Dinah presents the English lyrics written by Carmen Lombardo, of all people. “Jungle Drums” went on to become one of the theme songs of the exotica movement of the 50s.

“The Breeze and I” is one of Lecuona’s most recognizable and enduring melodies, originally published as “Andalucía” in 1928. With Al Stillman’s new English lyrics, the song became an American hit in 1940 through the single version by Jimmy Dorsey’s band, with a vocal by Bob Eberly. This is another Lecuona song that is still heard today.

Jimmy Dorsey and Bob Eberly

After “The Breeze and I” and “Say Si, Si” became hits, Lecuona wrote the title song for the 1942 film Always in My Heart, which starred Kay Francis and Walter Huston. The song was nominated for an Academy Award, losing to "White Christmas." Dorsey and Eberly, recognizing a good thing, recorded a version with Kim Gannon’s English lyrics, and it became a hit as well.

One of Lecuona’s most popular melodies, "Malagueña" (that is, a type of dance from Málaga, Spain), comes from his 1933 Suite Andalucía, to which he added lyrics in Spanish. Our first interpretation comes from Del Campo and His Orchestra, with a piano solo by arranger Jose Esteves. Luis Del Campo was a former Cugat singer who formed his own band in the 1940s, continuing until his death in 1950. This record, from about 1947, appeared on the short-lived Coda label.

Dorsey and Eberly struck again in 1942 with a vocal version of "Malagueña" called “At the Cross-Roads,” with English lyrics by Bob Russell.

It’s been said that Lecuona lifted the melody of "Malagueña" from a section of Louis Moreau Gottschalk’s 1851 composition Souvenirs d'Andalousie. I think it’s more likely that both Lecuona and Gottschalk were drawing upon the same indigenous melody.

Next we have a record by the Lecuona Cuban Boys, confusingly named because the group did not include Lecuona himself. He did, however, start the group in the early 1930s after seeing the success that Alfredo Brito was having with his music. The song “Panama” comes from a 1937 Columbia album by the group.

The Cuban Boys also contribute a rendition of one of Lecuona’s best-known melodies, “La Comparsa,” taken from their early Victor album Melodias Cubanas, with a piano solo by Armando Oréfiche, the group’s leader. I've also included a 1946 recording of "La Comparsa" from Camilo Lentini and His Latin-American Orchestra on the Pan-American label. Lentini was active in the Los Angeles area in the 1940s.

Hollywood called on Lecuona once more for a title song for the 1946 film One More Tomorrow, an Ann Sheridan-Dennis Morgan-Alexis Smith love triangle in which Morgan has to choose between his principles and his rich friends. (In other words, it has a plot you have seen a hundred times.) The version of the song in the playlist comes from Tex Beneke’s revived Glenn Miller Orchestra, with a sensitive vocal by Artie Malvin, who later became the king of the budget-label cover records.

Also in 1946, Lecuona provided the music for Carnival in Costa Rica, a musical starring Dick Haymes and Vera-Ellen. I am particularly fond of the music from this film, so I have included the main songs directly from the soundtrack and from Haymes’ Decca recordings.

Vera-Ellen’s singing voice was dubbed by Pat Friday, a superb vocalist who appeared on several radio shows, did some film dubbing and made a very few records, including a version of Carnival in Costa Rica's “Mi Vida." My other blog will soon have a post of the few 78s she made in 1946 for the small Enterprise label.

Dick Haymes and Vera-Ellen in Carnival in Costa Rica

In this collection, we have soundtrack versions of “I’ll Know It’s Love” (Friday solo and Haymes/Friday reprise), “Mi Vida” (Haymes/Friday duet) and “Another Night Like This” (Haymes solo). Also included are Haymes’ Decca 78s of “Another Night Like This” and “Mi Vida,” which have backing by Gordon Jenkins.

The Lecuona Cuban Boys return with a 1946 single on the Majestic label – “Rumba-Bomba,” with a Manyo Lopez vocal, and “Maracas,” vocal by Ernesto Ojea.

Lecuona’s music continued to be popular into the 1950s. The playlist concludes with two versions of “The Breeze and I” from that decade. The first is a Vic Damone vocal recording, which became a hit in 1952. Finally, there is a George Shearing instrumental from 1951 that demonstrates the influence of Shearing’s sound on the exotica bands that were soon to emerge.

The sound on these records ranges from good to excellent. Most were sourced from lossless needle-drops on Internet Archive.

Kurtz Conducts Rodgers and Porter Suites

Let's return to the 10-inch LP format and to conductor Efrem Kurtz for today's selection. This is the other album resulting from Kurtz's six-year tenure as the music director in Houston - suites from the mega-musicals South Pacific and Kiss Me, Kate.

Efrem Kurtz with members of the Houston Symphony

Cole Porter's Kiss Me, Kate had appeared on Broadway in late December 1948, with Richard Rodgers' South Pacific in April 1949. Kurtz and the Houston Symphony recorded the two suites from these tremendously popular scores on December 14, 1949, the day all the Kurtz-Houston records were made. Their coupling of Satie and Auric ballets appeared here in February of this year. The only other work taped that day was Fauré's brief Pavane. The latter work became, incongruously, a fill-up for the 78 set of the Rodgers and Porter suites, but was jettisoned for the LP release.

Robert Russell Bennett

Robert Russell Bennett, the orchestrator of both shows, assembled the suites contained on this LP. He called the Kiss Me, Kate suite a "Selection for Orchestra," but grandly titled the South Pacific potpourri a "Symphonic Scenario," whatever that might mean. Both are smoothly done, as you might expect from Bennett, and well handled by the Houston Symphony and by Kurtz, who could not have had much experience with this type of material.

Columbia had issued the original cast albums for both South Pacific and Kiss Me, Kate, and may have seen this 10-inch LP as an attractive alternative for those who didn't want or couldn't afford the full albums.

Columbia's sound is good. The album sports a characteristic cover by Alex Steinweiss.

A reader requested this LP a few months ago - I didn't have it then, but, as sometimes happens, I stumbled across a nice copy not long ago.

The Houston Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, 1949

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Buddy Clark with the Bands (and Hildegarde)

Buddy Clark had become one of America's leading vocalists in the years before his early death in a 1948 plane crash. But he wasn't always so popular, even though he had been making records and radio appearances for many years before his hit records on the Columbia label.

Today I am presenting a selection of Clark's records as a vocalist with the bands of Freddy Martin, Archie Bleyer, Ruby Newman and Wayne King, with the addition of a few duets he made with chanteuse Hildegarde. These are from the 1930s extending out to his 1946 Hildegarde session.

His first record (?)

I am indebted to blog follower and discographer Nigel Burlinson for sending me his Buddy Clark discography, which enabled me to identify several Clark recordings where the singer is uncredited on the label. Nigel's document also provided the recording dates noted below.

Clark's first record is often thought to be a vocal on "Evening," made with the Gus Arnheim band in 1932 for Victor. Wikipedia goes so far to note that Clark sang as a tenor for this first record, then switched to baritone for his 1934 discs with Freddy Martin's orchestra. I think that is unlikely. The 1932 Buddy sounds nothing like the 1934 Buddy - who is very recognizable as the singer heard on the rest of these sides on through his Columbia records.

So who is the Buddy Clark who sang with Arnheim? I don't know, but I will note that "Buddy Clark" was a stage name. The singer who became popular was born as Samuel Goldberg.

With Martin, Bleyer and Newman

Clark's vocals for Freddy Martin were recorded in September 1934, including polished renditions of "Stars Fell on Alabama," "Isn't It a Shame" and "In the Quiet of an Autumn Night."

Just as good are two songs with a band led by Archie Bleyer (who later ran Cadence records): "Wild Honey" and "Irresistible." These were from the month after the Martin records - October 1934.

We move on to two uncredited vocals with the band of Ruby Newman, both from the new Rodgers and Hart musical On Your Toes: "Quiet Night" and the title song, both of which Clark handles beautifully. These date from March 1936.

With Wayne King

Clark started making records \with Wayne King in 1940, and soon began appearing on radio with the King band. In October 1940 they cut the the bouncy patriotic song "He's My Uncle" and the terrific Hoagy Carmichael-Harris Robison number, "I Should Have Known You Years Ago" (Buddy has some trouble negotiating the final cadence on the latter).

Clark is credited on the label of the single above, but for the balance of his Wayne King output he is incognito. This is supposedly because OKeh gave Clark a contract as a single artist - and indeed he made his first OKeh records just a month after the October date with King.

The balance of Clark's output with King include "'Til Reveille," "Dawn," "Time and Time Again," and "Time Was," all from June 1941, "Darling, How You Lied," from September of that year, and "Amour" from October. All are nicely done.

Duets with Hildegarde

Hildegarde

In February 1946, Decca engaged Clark for a few songs with the popular supper club and radio personality Hildegarde, whose fame has dimmed to the point of her being a virtual unknown these days. Her singing now seems mannered - a contrast to Clark's conversational approach. Their only two songs together were the Kern-Hammerstein "I've Told Every Little Star" and "Why Shouldn't It
Happen to Us," a milder version of Cole Porter's 1928 song "Let's Do It" by the talented wife-and-husband team of Alberta Nichols and Mann Holiner.

The singer as slugger

These are all good records, made during a period when Clark recorded regularly, either on his own or with bands, and was featured on any number of radio shows. But while well known, he was not among the nation's most popular singers until his tenure with Columbia. I came across a poll in a 1938 issue of Radio Guide that has him as the 14th most popular male singer - just below Ralph Kirbery and just above Don Ameche. Then again, in the same poll, the 15-year-old Judy Garland was the 14th most popular female singer. And the fourth most popular was Fran (Frances) Allison, whom I only know for her appearances on the TV puppet show Kukla, Fran and Ollie.

The download includes a number of other clippings from the magazines of the time, showing Clark playing baseball (above), swimming, rehearsing and dancing with his wife.

These recordings were taken from various sources - mainly from Internet Archive - but all have been remastered and the sound is generally quite good.