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VOCAL GROUPS BACKING FAMOUS ARTISTS - PART ONE
THE CHARIOTEERS - PART ONE OF TWO
(Concept by Andrew Bohan)
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"Me And My Shadow"/"Kentucky Babe"
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"Who"/"Don't Ever Leave Me"
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VOCAL GROUPS BACKING FAMOUS ARTISTS - PART ONE
THE CHARIOTEERS - PART ONE OF TWO
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"Me And My Shadow"/"Kentucky Babe"
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"Who"/"Don't Ever Leave Me"
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Above: The Charioteers consisting of (L-R) Howard Daniel (bass), Ira Williams (baritone), Billy Williams (lead tenor), Edward Jackson (second tenor), Jimmy Sherman (piano), and at top and bottom, the piano. Article is from the Afro-American newspaper dated 1/28/39.Click HERE for an article about The Charioteers by J.C. Marion.
(Will open in a separate window)
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Above: Bing Crosby relaxing during a broadcast of the Kraft Music Hall radio program.
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From the Milwaukee Journal dated 12/26/43: THE SWINGING CHARIOTEERS 
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Above: Label image of NBC Transcription Disc of "Me And My Shadow" for the Kraft Music Hall broadcast on June 10, 1943 (Thursday) from 6:00 to 6:30 PM. The disc is made of glass and cut at 78-rpm. The glass disc for "Kentucky Babe" was for the August 26, 1943 (Thursday) show, also 6:00-6:30 PM.Note the reference to John Scott's shadow by Bing during "Me And My Shadow." John Scott Trotter was the orchestra leader for the Kraft Music Hall and was a rather large individual.
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Above: Pictures of Pearl Bailey (Left) circa 1948 [provided by Hans-Joachim Krohberger] and (Right) taken from Ottawa Citizen [Canada] dated 2/26/66.[Above label scan and related audio is from Dave Saviet.]
Above: Label image of Harmony 1059 recorded on December 17, 1947 and released in August 1949. The flip is a Hammerstein II - Kern composition from "Sweet Adeline." This is Pearl's only record with The Charioteers.Harmony, located in New York City, started in June 1949. It was a 49-cent budget label produced by Columbia Records and distributed by Varsity Records. Pearl Bailey was on Harmony's initial artist roster (Harmony #1049 & 1054) and Bing Crosby (#1003, 1007 & 1008) was included in Harmony's initial release of thirty-five records (per Billboard article dated 6/25/49). It's interesting to note that, per the article, some of the "lesser talent" Columbia provided for Harmony included Rosemary Clooney (#1071 & 1074), Janette Davis (#1048 & 1084) and, yes, Pearl Bailey! The label collapsed in early 1950.
(Click HERE for full Page Harmony Records advertisement from The Billboard dated 7/30/49. Will open in a separate window.)
The Billboard Review (9/17/49):
PEARL BAILEY AND THE CHARIOTEERS—HARMONY 1059
Don't Ever Leave Me (66) Easy Going, albeit unimpressive etching of a pretty show tune.
Who (53) Rather listless waxing of the well-worn standard.(Was this reviewer having a bad hair day?)
(NOTE: Ratings had a range of 0-100 with 0-39 as "poor," 40-69 as "satisfactory," 70-79 as "good," 80-89 as "excellent," and 90-100 as "tops.")
Listen to this week's selections by The Charioteers backing Bing Crosby and Pearl Bailey :
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]
A. Stream RealAudio (DO NOT USE...LISTEN USING DOWNLOAD REALAUDIO)...
1. Me And My Shadow - Bing Crosby and The Charioteers
2. Kentucky Babe - Bing Crosby and The Charioteers
3. Who - Pearl Bailey and The Charioteers
4. Don't Ever Leave Me - Pearl Bailey and The Charioteers
ALL FOUR played in sequenceB. Download RealAudio...
1. Me And My Shadow - Bing Crosby and The Charioteers
2. Kentucky Babe - Bing Crosby and The Charioteers
3. Who - Pearl Bailey and The Charioteers
4. Don't Ever Leave Me - Pearl Bailey and The CharioteersC. Stream/Download Media Player...
1. Me And My Shadow - Bing Crosby and The Charioteers
2. Kentucky Babe - Bing Crosby and The Charioteers
3. Who -Pearl Bailey and The Charioteers
4. Don't Ever Leave Me - Pearl Bailey and The Charioteers
[To download audio files, right-click on link
and then click "Save (Link) Target As..."]
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