(Week of 12/31/05 - 1/6/06)

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CLASSICS - PART SEVEN

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

"What Are You Doing New Year's Eve"
by The Orioles
on Jubilee 5017
released in 1949

[Above photo provided by Marv Goldberg.]

Above: Photo of The Orioles from 1948. (L-R) Sonny Til, Johnny Reed, Tommy Gaither, George Nelson, Alexander Sharp. Click HERE for an article about The Orioles by Marv Goldberg.

News Release:   Story Of 'Orioles' Is Story Of Success As Hit Number Clicks
 
October 1948:   NEW YORK--One of the greatest success stories of the year is that of The "Orioles," distinctive new vocal group, whose smash hit recording of "It's Too Soon To Know" has skyrocketed them across the musical horizon almost overnight.
 
It was just a few short months ago that The "Orioles" were working in an obscure night club in their native Baltimore for next to nothing in the way of financial compensation. They did, however, have a way of pleasing their audiences, especially with their rendition of "It's Too Soon To Know," which was written by an obscure Baltimore songwriter, Deborah Chessler.
 
Jerry Blaine, former bandleader who has since seen service as a recording executive for several leading companies, happened to catch the group one night and immediately tabbed their version of "It's Too Soon To Know" as a surefire jukebox hit. As a matter of fact, he had so much confidence in what he had heard that he formed his own recording company, the Natural label, and went into business on the strength of the waxings he made with The "Orioles."
 
Thanks to their disc of "It's Too Soon To Know," which is currently just about the hottest piece of wax in the nation's jukeboxes, The "Orioles" now rate upwards of $2000 a week for theater and nitery dates and have more offers of major bookings than they can possibly fulfill. They've just wound up a record-breaking week at the Royal Theater in Baltimore, and currently headline on stage of the 125th Street Apollo Theater in Harlem. They go into the Kingston Lounge, Brooklyn, N.Y., starting Friday, October 15, and then take to the stage of the Howard Theater, Washington, D.C., the week of October 22.

[Above news release provided by Richard Koloda.]

Above: (Left) Trade magazine clipping from 1950 and (Right) label for Jubilee 5017 recorded on 9/25/49 and released in November 1949.

Click on an option below to listen to The Orioles sing "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" using Windows Media Player. [Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]

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MORE ORIOLES (will open in a separate window):

• "FORGIVE AND FORGET" & "IF YOU BELIEVE"
  
• "RUNAROUND"
  
• "AT NIGHT", "EVERY DOG-GONE TIME", & "MOONLIGHT"
  

THANK YOU to all who have helped with "Record Of The Week" during 2005, including the following:

Norman Field Jim Gallert Galen Gart Marv Goldberg

Ferdie Gonzalez Gus Gordon Pete Grendysa Richard Koloda

Huey Long J.C. Marion George Moonoogian Bill Proctor

Paul Ressler Andy Rochman Dave Saviet Alma Smith

Your assistance is truly appreciated!

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