[ Cootie Williams Orch. ]
b: July 24, 1910 Mobile, Alabama, USA, ; d: September 15, 1985, New York (Long Island), NY, USA.
One of the many curiosities of Jazz, is that for an artist as popular as "Cootie", - his birthdate remains unknown. He is variously described as being born June 24, or July 10, or July 24, - possibly in 1908, 1910, or 1911., Even his date of demise is variously listed as either Sept 14, or Sept. 15, 1985. However, while his birthdate still remains a mystery, Murray L. Pfeffer, editor of the Big Bands Database, contacted "Woodlawn Cemetary", in New York city, where "Cootie" is buried, and they confirmed that he died on Sept. 15, 1985, and was buried on Sept 18, 1985. ( It seems most likely that Cootie was born July 24, 1910, in Mobile, Alabama, USA. )
né: Charles Melvin Williams
Instruments: trumpet, drums
Theme song: "Round Midnight" (Hit 7119) [ written by Williams & Thelonius Monk ]
As a child Williams was chosen to play trombone in his school's marching band. However he was switched to tuba because his arms were too short. His music teacher switched him to trumpet after hearing him play "Twelfth Street Rag" on that instrument. After his mother died, giving birth to twins, his father hired Charles Lipskin then with the New Orleans' Excelsior Jazz Band to further instruct his son on the trumpet.

At age 15, famed clarinetist Edmund Hall 'discovered' Cootie, and recommended him for a job with the Calvin Shields Orchestra (then based in Jacksonville, FL). After spending a year with Shields, Cootie joined the Alonzo Ross DeLuxe Syncopators (also based in Florida). He came to NYC with the Ross band leaving that group in 1928 to work for Chick Webb, Jabbo Smith and Fletcher Henderson.

In 1929, he was signed by Duke Ellington as the replacement for Bubber Miley, and remained with Ellington until 1940. While there he was allowed to use members of Ellington's band and record as Cootie Williams & His Orchestra however he did not form his own band until late 1941.

When he left Ellington's band, he joined Benny Goodman's orchestra for one year where he was a featured member of the BG Sextet. Cootie had been deeply associated with Ellington's band and his leaving for Goodman was quite a shock not only to the musical community, but to the public as well. Marking the occasion, composer/bandleader Raymond Scott wrote and recorded a song titled "When Cootie Left The Duke".

When Williams left Goodman, he wanted to return to Ellington's band but the Duke instead encouraged him to form his own orchestra. In 1942 this band, which featured Eddie Vinson and Arnett Cobb, had it's first engagement at Chicago's Grand Terrace Ballroom. One of their first records, "Now I Know" backed with "Tess's Torch Song", featured Pearl Bailey as vocalist.

In 1948, as the big band era was ending and when many of the big bands disb anded, Cootie simply reduced his to a sextet. They were a mainstay at Harlem's Savoy Ballroom until it closed in 1959. Williams rejoined Duke Ellington in 1962 and stayed there after till Ellington's death (1974) when the Duke's son Mercer took over the leadership. Health problems led to his retirement.
Vocalists incl: Bobby "Mr Blues" Merrill, Eddie Mack
Sidemen inc.: Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson (as), Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (ts), Bud Powell (p), Willis Jackson (ts)
Recorded for: Okeh, Hit, Majestic, Savoy, Mercury, RCA
Thanks to Mr. Robin Lenhart for this entry on Cootie Williams.

   [ Gene Williams Orch ]

In 1942, Gene Williams joined Sam Fletcher and his Duke Ambassadores, then playing at Palisades Park in New Jersey. He left to join the Johnny Long orchestra, and then spent two years in the Army. After his release, he joined Vincent Lopez Orch. at the Taft Hotel in New York City, then Les Elgart, followed by the George Paxton and Bobby Sherwood bands. Then, he joined Claude Thornhill for a year and a half, working mostly as a vocalist. In 1950, after the big band era had ended, Gene formed his own band in New York City. featuring Stan Getz. It turned out to be a short lived venture.

The band played mostly college and other weekend type dates with frequent changes to the lineup, common under such unstable conditions. The band's 'sound' included some of the then new 'rebop', but mostly stayed with numbers in the Thornhill style. The band recorded for Mercury and King Records, and Gene recorded one of the best big band instrumentals with a bop tinge called, "Just Goofin".

Eventually, the band did manage to get booked into The Glen Island Casino, in New Rochelle, a suburb of New York City. But, regretfully, the deceleration of the big band business carried Gene's orchestra down with the others.
The Big Bands Database thanks Mr. Larry Kloess for this information on Gene Williams.

   [ Fess Williams and his Royal Flush Orch. ]
b: April 10, 1894 Danville, KY, USA, d: December 17, 1975
né: Stanley R. Williams
Here's a photograph of Fess and the Royal Flush Orch., who as a child Williams played several instruments. He received his formal education from N. Clark-Smith at Tuskegee University. By his late teens he had settled on clarinet, and soon afterwards formed the first of many bands he was to lead over the coming years. In New York City in the mid-1920s, he became one of the first bands to hold a residency at Harlem's Savoy Ballroom with his Royal Flush Orchestra. He was resplendent in top hat and diamond-studded suit and was a great popular success. However, his music was well-laced with amiable hokum and he was soon overtaken in popularity by the more swinging bands, which were better suited to the Savoy's demanding dancers. His band played mainly at the Regal Theatre, in Chicago, IL, whose stage shows also featured some other attractions. Listen to the Royal Flush Orchestra in 1930 playing "Hot Mama" Here's Fess and the band in an even earlier 1920s recording of Hottown, -both digitally re-engineered by Mr. Verne Buland. Fess' clarinet style was reminiscent of Ted Lewis but a little less smooth. He continued to lead a band throughout the 1930s but, despite the presence of some good musicians, among them Rex Stewart and Albert Nicholas, he failed to match the successes enjoyed by other bands. Although he continued to lead bands periodically in the '40s and beyond, his later career was mostly outside music. In 1962 Williams was invited to attend a concert at New York's Town Hall, where the orchestra was directed by his nephew, Charles Mingus.
The above entry on Fess Williams was kindly submitted by Mr. Verne Buland.

   [ Griff Williams Orch ]
b: 1911 La Grande, OR, USA. d: February 1959 Chicago, IL, USA.
Theme: "Dream Music"
Griff was a pianist who led his college band while attending Stanford University (CA). In 1932, he joined the Anson Weeks Orchestra, staying for only a few months before forming his own band in 1933. Like Anson Weeks, the Griff Williams Orchestra would be categorized as a "society" band.

In October 1933, Williams had his first booking at Chicago's Edgewater Beach Hotel. In the late 1930s, Griff relocated to Chicago. During World War II, the band spent four ye ars at the Stevens Hotel in Chicago, which at that time was known as the world's largest hotel. After the war he concentrated on working in Chicago and San Francisco.

By the 1950's, the big band era had ended, and along with so many other leaders, Griff also disbanded in 1953. He began working for a magazine publishing company in Chicago. Williams occasionaly put together bands to work at society events and his popularity in Chicago was such that in 1956 he was given a local television show. He died of a heart attack in 1959.
Vocalists included: Bob Kirk, Buddy Moreno, Walter King, Lois Lee, The Williams Trio
Recorded for: Okeh, Varsity
The BigBands Database thanks Mr. Robin Lenhart for this Griff Williams entry.

   [ Bob Wills Orch ]
Theme Song: "San Antonio Rose"
A "Cowboy" music band that late in it's career started playing more mainstream type of music. The band mostly recorded and worked in Hollywood films, but they were in great demand throughout the midwest. Sometimes called "Bob Wills & his Texas Playboys" Please see our "Western Swing", link

   [ Meredith Willson Orch.]
b. May 18, 1902, Mason City, Iowa, USA. d. June 15, 1984
Composer, Lyricist, Flute, Piccolo, Piano, Arranger and Band Leader.
Themes:
On Air: "You And I"
On Stage: "Thoughts While Strolling"
Overview
Here's a mid-1920s photo of Meredith Willson, who was a borderline bandleader. He did have a band during the Dance Band Era (aka: 'Big Band Era'). In the mid 1920s, he relocated to San Francisco, CA, and became the popular Music Director for Station KFRC. In 1932, he became NBC's West Coast Music Director, and was also active writing film scores for the Hollywood studios, and other compositions. He played mostly on the radio but did perform a few theater dates. Here's a old NBC publicity photo of Meredith leading his NBC station KPO 1934 orchestra. Here's another NBC promotional 1936 photo showing Meredith rehearsing young pianist Estelle Caen, then appearing with Wilson on his NBC Coast-To-Coast radio broadcast. He had a theme song which he composed but did not have any vocalists other than ocasional guest stars on the radio shows. Talented musician, excellent arranger and composer. Mostly remembered for his hit Broadway hit musicals, "Music Man," and "The Unsinkable Molly Brown."

He attended the Damrosch Institute of Musical Art in New York. His first musical job, 1921-1923, was playing the flute and piccolo in John Phillip Sousa's Concert Band. By 1924 he was playing with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. During the '30s he formed his own orchestra and played a few theater dates but mostly on radio shows. He appeared with numerous radio stars such as Fanny Brice, John Nesbitt and later Tallulah Bankhead. He briefly had his own radio show in the summer of 1942. He was associated with Maxwell House Coffee for years.

On the radio he used his own composition "You and I" as his theme but off-air he used another of his compositions, "Thoughts While Strolling." Three of his better-known compositions were, "May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You," "Two in Love" and "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas." He was recipient of the first-ever Grammy Award in 1958 for "THE MUSIC MAN", first produced on the New York stage and later a Hollywood film hit.
These notes on Meredith Wilson were kindly contributed by Mr. Ken Tidwell.
For a more complete bio, please see the Meredith Willson Entry, in our Tunesmiths Database.

   [ Gerald Wilson Orch ]
né: Gerald Stanley Wilson.
b. Sept. 4, 1918, Shelby, MI, USA.
In his early childhood years, Gerald studied the piano. He attended schools in Memphis, TN and at Cass Technical College in Detroit. In Detroit he became friends with Sam Donahue and trombonist Bobby Byrne, and studied trumpet with Bobby Byrne's father.

His first job came with the Chick Carter Band, which was then playing the Plantation Club in Detroit. He briefly toured with the band when they went on the road.

Wilson then moved to Los Angeles where he did film sound track work. He also worked with pianist Phil Moore.

At that time, Si Oliver had been wanting to leave the Jimmy Lunceford band and, late in '41, Si quit. Lunceford immediately hired Gerald Wilson. In late 1941, Lunceford had a trumpet section of Wilson, Freddie We bster and Snooky Young. Subsequently, Gerald left Lunceford, as did Snooky Young, to work with the Les Hite orchestra.

In 1942, the Benny Carter band (with Jonah Jones), that played the Harlem theaters and backed for Billie Holiday, had fizzled. In 1943, Benny Carter came to Los Angeles and formed a band. In the process, he took away two top trumpets from Les Hite's band; Wilson and Snooky Young. Benny also found a young trombonist who was destined for fame, J.J. Johnson. (A young Savannah Churchill was on vocals.)

During WW2 Gerald served in the U.S. Navy from 1943-44. He was discharged in September 1944. After his discharge, he worked with Lee Young's Quartet in Hollywood. Following this. he led his own small band at the Rainbow Rendezvous, in L.A., prior to debuting his own big band in November 1944

This 1944 band only had fair success, despite the fine arrangements that Gerald had made. It soon disbanded. After this, Wilson led his own big bands, for special gig s. In the late '40's, he also worked as a sideman in the Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie bands.

Then, in the '60's, Gerald formed another big band that blossomed into one of the best big bands, of that decade.

Of course, the big band era was long over by then. And most of the work for bands was in the recording studios, or Las Vegas, NV. During the '70's, Wilson was a successful conductor-aranger for various recording stars. He was also active in Jazz education and broadcasting, as well as composing several important symphonic works.

   [ Teddy Wilson Orch ]
Piano.
b: Nov. 24, 1912, Austin, TX, USA. d: July 31, 1986, New Brittain, CT, USA.
Theme Song: "Jumpin' on the Blacks and Whites".
Benny Goodman called Teddy "The greatest musician in music today, irrespective of instrument."
Teddy formed his orch when he left Goodman. Teddy's orch lasted exactly one year, during which time it made 20 recordings. ( Teddy gave up the band in 1940 and then formed his sextet. He stayed with small groups for the remainder of his career.) His band included such great sidemen as: Trumpets: Doc Cheatham and Hal Baker. Rudy Powell and Ben Webster on Saxes. The rhythm section consisted of Al Casey, guitar; Al hall on drums and J.C. Heard on Bass. Thelma Carpenter handled the vocals.

Here's a .wave clip of Billie Holiday, singing with the Teddy Wilson orchestra. (Courtesy of Friedman/Fairfax Corp. See the "Sources" link on homepage.)

   [ Frank Winegar's Pennsylvania Boys ]
Winegar's first band was organized in 1922, while he was an architectural student at the University of Pennsylvania. This band was known as the "Peppy Collegians." In 1924, the popular band leader Ted Weems used his connections to open the way for this band to play "The Arcadia". While music historians don't say which Arcadia (the nation was sprinkled with Arcadias), I *suspect* that it was The Arcadia Ballroom in New York City. At that time, Frank replaced some of the student musicans with "hot" musicians and the band enjoyed some popularity for a few years in the Northeastern part of the USA. Here's a photograph of the group now playing under the name of Frank Winegar's Pennsylvania Boys. The band fell upon somewhat hard times and many of the musicians teamed up with Jimmy Durante's Orchestra, in New York. In 1929, Frank reorganized the band, and worked with it for a few more years, -even playing some on the CBS network, but eventually left the band business.

   [ The Woverine Orchestra ]
Please also see our Dixieland Jazz pages for more on The Wolverines orchestra, and also see our Bix Beidebecke Orch.for more complete information on Bix Beidebecke.
In 1924, the personel consisted of Bix Beiderbecke (cornet); Al Gande trombone; Jimmy Hartwell, clarinet; Geo. Johnson sax; Dick Voynow, piano; Bob Gillette, banjo; Min Leibrook, tuba; and Vic Moore , drums. They made their first Chicago appearence in 1923 and first Gennett recording in 1924.

   [ Barry Woods Orch ]
Presently no information available
b. Feb 12, 1909, Connecticut, USA. d. 1968, USA. Barry Wood, who was the brother of bandleader Barney Rapp, became a popular Swing-era vocalist, and led his own band for a time. His career started as a sideman (reeds) with the Buddy Rogers orchestra. When Rogers refused to let him sing, Barry left and formed his own band. He subsequently became a 'regular' on the Lucky Strike Hit Parade Radio Show, where his single biggest hit recording was "Ev'rybody Ev'ry Payday." In 1943, when Alabama University's "Million Dollar Band" was heard for the first time on NBC radio. Charlie Spivak was the guest leader of the band, and Barry Wood was the vocalist. Barry eventually left singing and found a new career in television production.

   [ Austin Wylie Orch ]
A great band operating in the Cleveland, Ohio area during the '20's and 1930's. Artie Shaw provided the clarinet and the arrangements in the '20's. Claude Thornhill handled the piano. In the '30's Clarence Hutchenrider took over the "licorice stick" duties from Artie.

   [ Allister Wylie Orch ]
One of the fine orchestras playing in St. Louis, LA, during the 1920's. To see the personnel and such, see the Gene Rodemich Orch. listing.
You may click on this Rodemich-prompt and go directly to the Gene Rodemich listing.

   [ George Winslow and his "Music with a Smile" ]
b. 1916, Jamestown, NY, USA
Theme: "You've Got to Smile Awhile"
Trademark: 'Music With a Smile'
George, a graduate of Wooster College, started his band after extensive experience arranging and performing with other bands of the era. The "Music With a Smile" band was Chicago based and traveled extensively throughout the Midwest from 1945-'50. During this time his band was also featured on WBBM and WGN broadcast from the O'Henry and Martinque Ballrooms. Prolonged engagements at the Aragon, Trianon, Peabody (Memphis) and Shroeder (Milwaukee) also helped to established his popularity.

Before starting his own band he was vocalist, saxophonist and arranger for many bands of the era including stints with Hank Biagini, Blue Steele, Sammy Watkins, Blue Barron, Art Kassel, Ray Herbeck and later Sammy Kaye for 20 years.

His own style featured smooth, sweet, sax sound, staccato brass, rhythm and tuba/string bass. He regales younger musicians with stories of the era -the Ford panel truck with different size tires front and back, purchasing gas for it "with or without" gas coupons during the war years, changing from tenor lead to alto lead in one week, -rewriting the arrangements, no computers, no zerox-to keep the gig and Lawrence Welk premiering his original composition "When Twilight Falls". George's most requested songs included "Ruth", "Rhythm on the Farm" and "I'm Going to Copyright Your Kisses". Long time members of his band included: Jim Hefti- saxophone, Mitchell Snyder/Dick Carlton-drums, Ed Burbach-piano, Dick Schulte-trombone, Jack Williams/Tom Hill-vocalists, Rita Jean Carson-vocalist, Ray Friday-tuba, Bob Thompson-guitar. George continues to live in Monroe, NY and is still gig-ing in and around the area with `The Winslow Three" writing arrangements for several bands in his inimitable style and singing in the church choir. He is still looking for a replacement for his favorite Waterman 3 prong nib, retractable point, music writing pen which was lost some years ago.
We thank Mr.Darryl Winslow, George Winslow's son, for this information on his father's band and career.

   [ Hugo Winterhalter Orch. ]
b. Aug. 15, 1909, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA. d. Sept 17, 1973, Greenwich, CT, USA.
Overview
This graduate of St. Mary's College and the New England Conservatory of Music (Violin and Reeds) may have started as a teacher, but in the mid-1930's, he made Popular music his career and began working not only as a sideman and as an arranger with a number of Swing bands, including Raymond Scott, Count Basie, Claude Thornhill and Tommy Dorsey, but also did vocal arrangements for Dinah Shore and Billy Eckstine.

In 1948, he became an MD for MGM Records and, in 1950, moved first to Columbia records ("Blue Christmas" was his a big Instrumental with Col.). Later, in 1950, he moved to RCA Victor remaining until 1963. His work for RCA included arrangements for many of the singers then under contract to RCA including Eddie Arnold ("Cattle Call"); the Ames Brothers ("The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane"); Perry Como, and Eddie Fisher. Further responsibilities included the asssignments of the conductors and composers and also matching arrangers with vocalists.

When Winterhalter left the RCA payroll in 1963, he moved to the Kapp label, where he recorded a handful of albums including "The Best of '64", and its follow-up, "The Big Hits of 1965", and then left Kapp in 1965 to work on Broadway. In 1963, he had also composed the title theme for the film 'Diamond Head'. He later worked in television as well, and continued recording the occasional LP for budget labels including Musicor.

In the late 1960's, he released instrumental albums under his own name. Between 1950 and 1956, a number of his singles were in the Top 40 charts, including "Blue Tango"; "Vanessa"; and 'covers' of "The Third Man Theme", -while his "Canadian Sunset - with Eddie Heyward on piano reached the No. 2 spot on the Hit Parade. With the demise of the great Swing bands in the 1950s, popular music took on a 'lush' sound with large string sections, - now called "Easy Listening".

Over his long career, Hugo worked with such stars as: Perry Como; Joe Carlton; Babe Russin; Sarah Vaughan; Bernard Kaufman; Billy Butterfield; Joe Reisman Frank Sinatra; Axel Stordahl; Rubin Zarchy; Henry Ross; Russ Case; Nuncio Mondello; Gordon Griffin; Harold Feldman; Dave Kapp; Art Drelinger, and Frederick Buldrini. He finally retired in the late 1960's.

   [ Billy Wynne's Greenwich Village Inn Orchestra ]
Currently No Information Available.
Wynne took the name from a club in New York city's Greenwich Village neighborhood, called, appropriately enough, the Greenwich Village Inn, at the corner of Grove St. and West 4th Street, (An apartment building stands there now)

Perhaps the entire catalog of Billy Wynne's Greenwich Village Inn Orchestra.recordings;
  *** "Alabamy Bound". by Bud De Sylva; Bud Green; Ray Henderson; Ernest Hare
  *** "Blue-eyed Sally" - by Al Bernard; J Russel Robinson
  *** "Brighter Days". by Mitchell Parish; Billy Wynne; Frank O'Farrell
  *** "Charleston Baby O'Mine". by Bernie Grossman; Danny Dougherty
  *** "Cecilia". by Herman Ruby; Dave Dreyer; Vernon Dalhart
  *** "In Siam" 1920 (Edison Cylinder) composed by Manuel Klein in 1914. New York, NY, Edison 3940 All Star Trio

  ***   "I Want To Be Happy", (515 kb): Billy Wynne's Greenwich Village Inn Orchestra. Composed by Irving Caeser; Vincent Youmans; Fox Trot From No No Nanette

  ***   "Keep On Dancing", (510 kb): Billy Wynne's Greenwich Village Inn Orchestra. Composed by Charles Marsh; Bobby O'Brien
  *** "Lenore" by Andrew B Sterling
  *** "Nantucket Nan" by Louis Breau; Earle T Oliver; Billy Hueston
  *** "Not Now, Not Yet, But Soon" by Ray Bowen Edison Diamond Disc
  *** "Pango Pango Maid" - by Irving Bibo; A Fred Phillips
  *** "Peter Pan (I Love You)" - by Robert King; Ray Henderson
  *** "Say Arabella". (What's A Fella To Do) by Gus Kahn; Ted Fiorito

  ***   "Steppin' In Society", (949 kb): 'Billy Wynne Greenwich Village Inn Orchestra'. Composers: Alex Gerber and Harry Akst. Rec'd: Edison June 18, 1925 (Alex Gerber was also co-author of a song with the interesting title "Some Girls Do, Some Girls Don't" --words and music by Howard Johnson, Alex Gerber and Harry Jentes )
  *** "Somebody's Crazy About You". by Owen Murphy; Jay Gorney; From Earl Carroll Vanities

  ***   "The Only Only One For Me", (571 kb): 'Billy Wynne Greenwich Village Inn Orchestra'. Composers: Bud Green, James V. Monaco, Harry Warren

  ***   "Titina", (648 kb): Billy Wynne's Greenwich Village Inn Orchestra. From: 'Puzzles of 1925'. Composed by Léo Daniderff; Bertal; Maubon; E Ronn; Joe Burke; Benny Davis;
  *** "What a smile can do" (wChorus) by Moe Jaffe; Lew Brown; Alex Gerber; Harry Akst;
  *** "What A Smile Can Do". by Art Walsh; A Paganucci; Charles Hart