Previous Vocal Group Record of the Week
#822 (9/27/14 - 10/10/14)

LUCKY MILLINDER AND HIS ORCHESTRA  

"The Spider And The Fly"
Vocal by Annisteen Allen And Ensemble
on Decca 23949
released in 1947

"Fare-Thee-Well Deacon Jones"
Vocal by Lucky Millinder And Ensemble
on Decca 24495
released in 1948

"I Ain't Got Nothin' To Lose"
Vocal by Big John Greer And Quartet
on RCA Victor 20-3495
released in 1949

"I'll Never Be Free"
Vocal by Annisteen Allen And Big John Greer
on RCA Victor 20-3622
released in 1950


[The above photo provided by Paul Ressler.]

Above: Annisteen Allen. After leaving Lucky Millinder (recording on the Decca, RCA Victor and King labels), she moved to Capitol, scoring a minor hit with "Fujiyama Mama" in 1955.


[The above photo provided by Paul Ressler.]
Above: Big John Greer. He formed his own band in 1949, John Greer And The Rhythm Rockers, and continued to record for RCA Victor.


Above: Lucky Millinder. His main ability seems to have been finding talented vocalists.

Featured vocalists with Lucky's Orchestra include:
Ruth Brown, prior to her Atlantic days, was Millinder's "featured vocalist" for one appearance before he rudely fired her.



(Melvin Moore signing with Lucky Millinder - January 1945)



(Bus Brown - 1941)




(New York Age 10/2/43)





(The picture at right is Annisteen Allen)







(New York Age 5/10/47)


(New York Age 12/10/49)

(New York Age 10/28/50)
Not enough room for Lucky's full name?

(New York Age 10/13/51)




Above: Label image of Decca 23949 released in 1947. The flip of this record is a solo vocal by Paul Breckenridge. The Decca 24495 label for "Fare-The-Well Deacon Jones" shows Lucky Millinder as composer. The flip of that record is an instrumental.

The Billboard Review (6/21/47):

LUCKY MILLINDER—DECCA 23949
The Spider And The Fly:
The Lucky Millinder band laying down a solid rhythm base, it's the full-voiced and throaty warbling of Annisteen Allen, assisted by the ensemble, for the spiritual-styled "Spider And The Fly" saga. Gives way in her song only for a breath of saxology. But neither the singing nor the playing builds up to the feverish pitch. Little here to excite the phono fans for a coin spree.






ANNISTEEN ALLEN and PAUL BRECKENRIDGE of the Lucky Millinder band offer samples of their handwriting for analysis to Gordon Anderson (center). (New York Age 11/12/49)


Above: Label image of RCA Victor 20-3495 released in 1949. John Greer also plays the saxophone on this side. Composers Sy Oliver and Dick Jacobs were both musicians, band leaders and music arrangers. The flip sides of the two RCA Victor records featured here are vocals by Paul Breckenridge.

Listen to this week's selections by Lucky Millinder's Orchestra on Decca/RCA Victor from 1947-1950:
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]

     A. Stream RealAudio (DO NOT USE...LISTEN USING DOWNLOAD REALAUDIO)...
 
          1. The Spider And The Fly
          2. Fare-Thee-Well Deacon Jones
          3. I Ain't Got Nothin' To Lose
          4. I'll Never Be Free
 
          ALL FOUR played in sequence

     B. Download RealAudio...
 
          1. The Spider And The Fly
          2. Fare-Thee-Well Deacon Jones
          3. I Ain't Got Nothin' To Lose
          4. I'll Never Be Free

     C. Stream/Download Media Player...
 
          1. The Spider And The Fly
          2. Fare-Thee-Well Deacon Jones
          3. I Ain't Got Nothin' To Lose
          4. I'll Never Be Free

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


Annisteen Allen
Phil. Inquirer 7/15/55


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