#833 (2/28/15 - 3/13/15)

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THIS WEEK'S SELECTIONS PROVIDED BY ANDREW BOHAN

"I Thought You Told Your Mother"/"Fireflies In The Night"
by Gloria Van And The Four Vagabonds
on VRT 102B/A
released in 1949

Above: Gloria Van - Down Beat Magazine Cover 3/23/51

Above: Hal McIntyre and Gloria Van - Down Beat Magazine Cover 2/15/44

[The above photo provided by Paul Ressler and restored by Tony Fournier.]

Above: The Four Vagabonds (L-R) Robert O'Neal (first tenor), John Jordan (lead tenor), Ray Grant (bass & guitarist), Norval Taborn (baritone).

Click HERE for an article about The Four Vagabonds by Rick Whitesell, Pete Grendysa, George Moonoogian, and Marv Goldberg.
(Will open in a separate window)

GLORIA VAN: Above: Buffalo Courier Express 5/25/45.

Above Left: Brooklyn Eagle 10/28/43....             Above Right: Universal U-34 label released late 1947. "Gloria Van is Hal McIntyre's new vocalist." ALSO: Philadelphia Inquirer 6/6/43.... "Gloria Van is featured at the Met Ballroom, appearing with Gene Krupa's Orchestra." Billboard 11/6/43.... "Hal McIntyre has signed Gloria Van, formerly with Gene Krupa, Johnny 'Scat' Davis and Ted Fio Rito, to handle his vocal chores..." Billboard 9/28/46.... "CBS Radio inked Gloria Van and her Vanguards to a WBBM staff pact...." AND: Gloria Van and the Vanguards were featured with Buddy DiVito's Orchestra (1948). Gloria appeared regularly in three TV Series, "The Little Review" on ABC (1949), "Windy City Jamboree" on Dumont (1950) and "Wayne King" on NBC (1951-1952). All three series were produced in Chicago. She was a frequent guest on Jack Paar's "The Tonight Show" on NBC.

Above: Kingston (NY) Daily Freeman 9/5/42.

Above: New London (CT) Evening Day 3/19/49.

Above: Label image of VRT 102B released circa February 1949. The Four Vagabonds also provided back-up harmony for Patti Clayton and Janette Davis on Transcription Discs (circa 1943-45).

"Trabucco-Walker" are shown as composers on both sides. This is Rose Mary Trabucco and William Stearns Walker, who copyrighted the two sides referencing "V.R.T. Music Publishing Company" in February 1949. The labels indicate "CLEARANCE B.M.I.," but the only credits found at the BMI website are for "Bill Walker." Some worthless trivia... in 1953 "William Stearns Walker" was co-author of a book "Larry The Lightning Bug." He was famous for writing and producing thousands of Radio/TV jingles and music for commercials.

Some detective work by Marv Goldberg presents strong evidence of other songs, and perhaps another record, by Gloria Van And The Four Vagabonds for the VRT label (see Billboard excerpt below).

The Billboard, October 8, 1949: "HARD-TO-GET.... The Juke Box, 1675 S. Union Avenue, Alliance, Ohio, would like to get some information regarding Gloria Van and Her Vagabonds... Several of her discs, says the Juke Box, were recorded on the V.R.T. label."

Listen to this week's selections by Gloria Van And The Four Vagabonds on VRT 102 from 1949:
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]

A. Stream RealAudio (DO NOT USE...LISTEN USING DOWNLOAD REALAUDIO)...             1. I Thought You Told Your Mother           2. Fireflies In The Night             BOTH played in sequence      B. Download RealAudio...             1. I Thought You Told Your Mother           2. Fireflies In The Night      C. Stream/Download Media Player...             1. I Thought You Told Your Mother           2. Fireflies In The Night

     [To download audio files, right-click on link and then select "Save (Link) Target As..."]

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