The Modernaires
The Modernaires | |
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Warner Bros. Records | |
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| Website | www |
The Modernaires were an American
Career
The Modernaires began in 1934 as "Don Juan, Two and Three," a trio of schoolmates from
After singing on radio station WGR in Buffalo, New York, for "the enormous sum of $10 a month", the trio went to New York City and gained an engagement of 26 weeks on CBS network radio.[3]: 50
The group's first engagement was at Buffalo's suburban Glen Falls Casino, with the Ted Fio Rito Orchestra. Fio Rito also used them on electrical transcription recordings. They then joined the Ozzie Nelson Band, and became known as "The Three Wizards of Ozzie." They next recruited Ralph Brewster to make a quartet and, performing with the Fred Waring Orchestra, became The Modern-Aires (later changing the spelling). Recordings with Charlie Barnet's orchestra in 1936 did not interest the public but brought them greater industry exposure, and in 1937 they joined the George Hall band, soon moving on to the Paul Whiteman radio show. They recorded many of the classic songs of that era, a few with Jack Teagarden, as part of the Whiteman orchestra in 1938.
In October 1940,
Songs made popular by Miller and The Modernaires included "
In 1945, "There! I've Said It Again" became The Modernaires' first top-twenty hit.
The group was featured in television programming produced by
After Miller's disappearance, The Modernaires recorded vocal versions of several of Miller's instrumental hits, including "
The Modernaires were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999.
Deaths of former members
- Hal Dickinson (né Harold Hunt Dickinson, Jr.; 1913–1970) died in Santa Barbara, California.[6]
- Chuck Goldstein, born in Buffalo, New York (né Charles J. Goldstein; 1914–1974), died in Englewood, New Jersey.[7]
- Johnny Drake, born in
- Ralph Brewster (né Ralph Fletcher Brewster; 1914–1990) died in Tulsa, Oklahoma.[11]
- Bill Conway (né William G. Conway; 1913–1991) died in Los Angeles, California.[12]
- Paula Kelly (1919–1992) died in Costa Mesa, California.[13]
- Fran Scott (né Francis James Schneider; 1915–2002) died in Los Angeles, California.[14][15]
- Paula Dickinson Kelly, Jr. (1944–2012), who took over singing her mother's parts with the Modernaires from 1966 to 1971, died in Los Angeles, California.[16]
- Alan Copeland (1926–2022), born in Los Angeles and the last surviving Modernaire, died in Sonora, California.[17]
References
- Weekly Times. No. 4248. Victoria, Australia. November 22, 1950. p. 55. Retrieved June 3, 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "MUSIC Glenn Miller tribute". The Canberra Times. Vol. 56, no. 17, 020. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. May 4, 1982. p. 25. Retrieved June 3, 2018 – via National Library of Australia. , ...Also featured will be Paula Kelly, junior, and the Modernaires, today's version of the vocal group...
- ^ ISBN 9780634099786. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
Paula Kelly singer.
- ^ Kaplan, Ben. "For the Love of Mike." Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch. September 14, 1943.
- ^ "Philco's New Coast Tele Shows Offer Welcome Change from Old Ideas". Variety. September 10, 1947. p. 30. Retrieved July 23, 2016.
- ^ "Obituaries: Harold Dickinson of Modernaires". The San Francisco Examiner. November 19, 1970. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
- ^ "Charles Goldstein, 59, founder of Modernaires". The Record. August 20, 1974. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
- ^ Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third Series. Library of Congress. 1953. p. 600.
- ^ "Modernaires Male Vocalist is Native St. Paul". The Minneapolis Star. August 14, 1958. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
- ^ "John Brayman Drake". U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850–2010. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
- ^ "Deaths Elsewhere". The Sacramento Bee. April 1, 1990. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
- ^ "Obituary for William G. CONWAY". Los Angeles Times. April 6, 1991. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
- ^ Folkart, Burt A. (April 4, 1992). "Paula Kelly; Sang With Modernaires, Glenn Miller". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
- ^ "Fran Schneider Now in Hollywood Singing with "The Modernaires"". The Daily News. May 14, 1946. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
- ^ "Francis James Schneider [Francis Scott]". U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936–2007. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
- ^ "Paula Cole Obituary". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Alan Copeland, the Modernaires and 'Your Hit Parade' Vocalist, Dies at 96". Billboard.
External links
- 'The Modernaires' Vocal Group Hall of Fame Page
- Page on The Modernaires
- The Modernaires recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.
- Solid! – The Modernaires
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