#878 (12/3/16 - 12/16/16)

IN MEMORY OF KAY STARR
(WHO LEFT US ON NOVEMBER 3, 2016)

"A Game Of Broken Hearts"/
"Tell Me How Long The Train's Been Gone"
by Kay Starr With Vocal Group (The Jubalaires)
on Capitol 792
released in 1949



Above: Circa 1939 photo of Kay Starr when she was featured with Joe Venuti And His Orchestra. Kay was with Venuti from 1937 to 1939. Then she had short stints with the Bob Crosby, Glenn Miller, Joe Venuti (again), Wingy Manone and Charlie Barnett orchestras. After that, she recorded, as a solo act, for independent labels Lamplighter, Standard and Jewell. In 1947 she signed a contract with Capitol Records. Kay moved over to RCA Victor in 1955.

Kay Starr had many hit records, but her two biggest were "Wheel Of Fortune" (Capitol, 1952) and "Rock And Roll Waltz" (RCA Victor, 1956).



[The above picture is from The Billboard dated 3/26/55.]







Above Left: This photo was taken on 10/31/60 at the Hotel Sahara in Las Vegas.



The Jubalaires [The above photo is courtesy of Lou Rallo.]



The Jubalaires (L-R) Orville Brooks, Ted Brooks, Calib Ginyard, and George McFadden.



Above: From Pittsburgh Post Gazette dated 10/14/49.
At Left: From Morning Herald (Uniontown, PA) dated 10/22/49.

New York Age, March 5, 1949: JUBALAIRES A CORPORATION
The Jubalaires, the quartet singing for the second season on CBS' "Amos 'n' Andy," are probably the only group in radio that got its start by being arrested for disturbing the peace. That was back in 1933, when their livelihood was accomplished in the best catch-as-catch-can style of those unlamented days. Ted Brooks, baritone, was a truck driver and George McFadden, bass, would hardly have dared answer "singer" if asked his occupation. Two others no longer in the quartet, Charley Newson, was a pastry baker, and Caleb Ginyard, a taxi driver.

The boys sang at social clubs, school gatherings, church festivals and similar events in their native Jacksonville, Fla. After work, they'd go off in Ginyard's cab to a quiet spot and rehearse numbers to add to their limited repertoire of spirituals and comedy songs.

One hot night, a policeman, zealous in the preservation of peace, decided that the harmonizing constituted a breach of the law and ran them in. When the quartet went through a series of numbers for the judge and for Mayor John Dew, who happened to be present, their sentence turned out to be a date to sing at a civic luncheon.

A little later, Mayor Dew landed the boys jobs as singing waiters at Jacksonville's Seminole Hotel. And not long afterward, the Mayor helped finance them in a trip for richer rewards up North. Their car broke down in a blizzard when they reached Philadelphia and, broke, they slept in a park. Their situation was saved by a lucky job on WCAU, the CBS station in the brotherly city. This led to a New York recording contract and a long network assignment on the "Arthur Godfrey Show," which they terminated to make a 22-state tour in 1947. In between, they had sung at leading night clubs.

The Jubalaires now consist of Willie Johnson and John Jennings, tenors, in addition to the veteran Brooks and McFadden. Johnson is the leader and arranger, as well as second tenor. He joined the quartet about two years ago....

....The Jubalaires and their families all live together in one house. And they manage with as much harmony as they show in their inspiring songs. At the Jubalaires' manse, food, clothes, automobile upkeep, income taxes, rent and medical expenses come out of a common fund which is kept alive by a weekly check from"Amos 'n' Andy."


EXTRA AUDIO (Windows Media Player):

The above clippings are from The Billboard dated 10/22/49.

Listen to "The Game Of Broken Hearts" - The Magichords - Regal 3237 - 1949.

Listen to "Cherry Tree" - The Magichords - Regal 3237 - 1949.

Other artists with records of "A Game Of Broken Hearts" include Florence Wright on National (1949),
Doris Day on Columbia (1949), Patti Page on Mercury (1949), The Three Suns on RCA Victor (1949),
The Pastels on London (1949), and The Dixxy Sisters (1953).



Above: Label image of Capitol 792 recorded in October 1949 and released shortly thereafter. Many of Kay Starr's records on Capitol had vocal group backing, but without crediting the group name on the label.

The Cash Box Review (1/14/50):

KAY STARR — CAPITOL 792....
Tell Me How Long The Train's Been Gone/A Game Of Broken Hearts

Kay Starr comes up with some fair wax in this due titled "Tell Me How Long The Train's Been Gone" and "A Game Of Broken Hearts." Top deck is a choo choo story, with Kay's throbbing pipes spilling the lyrics in strong vocal tones that score. The flip is the well known vocal lament that keeps on climbing. This rendition is certainly one of the best around, and should earn some lively play in the machines. Both sides are there for the asking—music ops take it from here.

NOTE: Most discographical information provided at this website is from Ferdie Gonzalez' Disco-File.


Listen to this week's selections featuring Kay Starr (With The Jubalaires) on Capitol 792 from 1949:
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]

     A. Stream RealAudio (DO NOT USE...LISTEN USING DOWNLOAD REALAUDIO)...
 
          1. A Game Of Broken Hearts
          2. Tell Me How Long The Train's Been Gone
 
          BOTH played in sequence

     B. Download RealAudio...
 
          1. A Game Of Broken Hearts
          2. Tell Me How Long The Train's Been Gone

     C. Stream/Download Media Player...
 
          1. A Game Of Broken Hearts
          2. Tell Me How Long The Train's Been Gone
 
          BOTH played in sequence

[Capitol Records Clipping 1/14/50.]

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


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