The Army Air Corps
written by Capt. Robert Crawford
performed by
Alvino Rey & His Orchestra
Bill Schallen with The King Sisters, vocals
recorded 27 January 1942
originally issued in 1942 as Bluebird B-11476 issued here on V-Disc No.6B, circa 1943
All gave some and some gave all
. . .
it is to you that this video is dedicated!
In 1937, Army Air Corps second-in-command Hap Arnold persuaded his superior, Oscar Westover, that airmen needed a song reflecting their unique identity, and proposed a song competition with a prize to the winner. However, the Air Corps had no control over its budget, and could not give a prize. Liberty magazine stepped in, offering a purse of $1,000 to the winner.
Around 757 compositions were entered, and evaluated by a volunteer committee chaired by Mildred Yount, the wife of a senior Air Corps officer, and also featuring several distinguished musicians. The committee had until July 1939 to make a final choice. However, word eventually spread that the committee found no songs that satisfied them, despite the massive number of entries. Arnold, who took over command of the Air Corps in 1938 after Westover was killed in a plane crash, solicited direct inquiries from contestants, including Irving Berlin, but not even Berlin's creations proved satisfactory. Just before the deadline, Capt. Robert Crawford entered his song, which proved to be a unanimous winner.
The V-Disc project actually began in June 1941, six months before the United States' involvement in World War II, when Captain Howard Bronson was assigned to the Army's Recreation and Welfare Section as a musical advisor. Bronson suggested the troops might appreciate a series of records featuring military band music, inspirational records that could motivate soldiers and improve morale.
Meanwhile, the American Federation of Musicians, under the leadership of James Caesar Petrillo, were involved in a major recording strike against the four major record companies. This continued until the intervention of recording pioneer George Robert Vincent, who was at that point a lieutenant. On October 27, 1943, Vincent convinced Petrillo to allow his union musicians to record sides for the military, as long as the records were not offered for purchase in the United States. From that moment on, artists who wanted to record now had an outlet for their productivity - as well as a guaranteed, receptive, enthusiastic worldwide audience of soldiers, sailors and airmen.
The V-Discs were an instant hit overseas. Soldiers who were tired of hearing the same old recordings were treated to new and special releases from the top bands of the day. And such a varied selection - big band hits, some swing music, classical performances from the top symphonies, a little jazz here and there, even some marching music to keep Major Bronson happy.
V-Discs stayed in production until 1949, providing entertainment to soldiers stationed overseas as part of the Marshall Plan.
After the V-Disc program ended in 1949, the Armed Services set out to honor the original AFM request that the records not be used for commercial purposes. Original masters and stampers were destroyed. Leftover V-Discs at bases and on ships were discarded. On some occasions, the FBI and the Provost Marshal's Office confiscated and destroyed V-Discs that servicemen had smuggled home. An employee at a Los Angeles record company even did some jail time - his crime was the illegal possession of over 2500 V-Discs.
The man watching is Robert Benchley.
well, if you look at his wheel areangment, the changed him. Here he is an 2-4-0 with the main rod on the forward driving wheel...in the circus he is still a 2-4-0, but his rod arangment changed to the back wheel! also his bell is in a difrent spot and he became more stubby!
Actually, he didn't have a bell in Dumbo. And he also didn't have a front cab window either.
actually, he did have a front cab window in Dumbo.
Also, his whistle was changed. In this video, he had a more deep toned whistle, In Dumbo, he had a peanut like whistle.
Vince Salerno
Vincent Frank Salerno, a jazz pianist who continued to perform even as prostate cancer weakened his bones, died on Oct. 10. He was 78.
Salerno started playing the piano when he was seven years old. A decade later, he was able to perform George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue," a 52-page piece of music, from memory.
Salerno's professional music career lasted for six decades. He took one three-year break during World War II to serve with the Army Air Forces. Before he was assigned to the infantry, Salerno played in the Air Force Marching Band and with the USO.
Once he returned to the states, Salerno toured with the Alvino Rey and Ted Fio Rito orchestras. He received a bachelor's degree in music and a master's in musical education from San Diego State College. He also spent 22 years with The Variations, the house band at the Hotel del Coronado. "The Bat" (1959) is uphill sledding for Vincent Price fans. There's little life in writer-director Crane Wilbur's tedious adaptation of the classic story by Mary Roberts Rinehart. All the ingredients are there -- the spooky house, the hooked-handed killer and a solid story that had already been filmed three times before. But Price is wasted as the prime red herring, as is Agnes Moorehead as the family matriarch. Watch for Our Gang's Darla Hood in an adult role, and dig that crazy "Bat" theme by steel guitar ace Alvino Rey
"THE BAT" WITH REY'S STEEL
1959's "The Bat" is an ultra-campy horror flick, featuring many occurrences that defy all manner of human logic.A mysterious mansion holds secrets and terror for the owner and visitors alike in this thriller based upon a classic stage play. Cornelia Van Gorder (Agnes Moorehead) has taken up residence in an old mansion that was the scene of some mysterious deaths years ago. www.millcreekent.com
But you know what? It doesn't matter. Because "The Bat", co-starring two of Hollywood's best (Vincent Price and Agnes Moorehead) is still a really fun movie to watch, no matter how silly and impossible-to-believe the storyline is.
And this trailer is a real dandy too, especially the beginning of it, with Mr. Price inviting the viewers to "come closer" as he sits in his easy chair. Well done.
Esther Phillips With Martin Scheller's Orchestra
Lew Soloff (tp) Garnett Brown (tb) Hubert Laws (fl) Bobby Capers (as, bars) Rodgers Grant (p) Alvino Rey (g) Victor Venegas (b) Leo Morris (d) Osvaldo "Chihuahua" Martinez (cga) Hungria Garcia (per) Esther Phillips (vo) Martin Scheller (arr, dir)Andy Russell Enamorado 60's
WE LOVE ANDY RUSSELL: OUR MAN IN HOLLYWOOD
They called him the WEST COAST SINATRA. He was the first Mexican-American Pop singing sensation. A veteran of BIG BANDS led by GUS ARNHEIM and ALVINO REY, he was as skilled a drummer as he was a vocalist. Recording solo for CAPITOL RECORDS, he introduced the popular Latin standards "BÉSAME MUCHO", "AMOR" and "CUANDO VUELVA A TU LADO" (What A Difference A Day Makes) to American audiences. His English language hits included "LAUGHING ON THE OUTSIDE", "I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU" and "PRETENDING." ANDY parlayed success on records into a film and TV career that spread his fame to MÉXICO, ARGENTINA and SPAIN. Although he could easily have passed for White, ANDRESITO never hid his MESTIZO roots! ¡QUE VIVA LA RAZA! He was a source of MUCHO ORGULLO for the East Los Angeles community that he called home. The West Coast Sinatra passed away in 1992, but his smooth BOLEROS and sexy SONRISA won't soon be forgotten.