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Harry James | |
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Born: March 15, 1916 Hometown: Albany, Georgia Instrument: Trumpet Music Training: His father was a bandleader Bands and Orchestras: Ben Pollack, Benny Goodman Signature Song: "You Made Me Love You" Harry James biography: The son of a circus trapeze artist mother and bandleader father Harry James was born in a run-down hotel in Albany, GA. He started playing the drums at 7 years old and the trumpet at 10. After his family settled in Beaumont, Texas he played in local dance bands while in high school. In 1935 he joined the Ben Pollack Orchestra, but left the following year to join Benny Goodman. He became so popular with Goodman fans that when he decided to leave in 1938 to form his own band Goodman financed him. The Music Makers made their debut at the Benjamin Franklin Hotel in Philadelphia in 1939. They recorded for Brunswick Records with Connie Haines as their female vocalist. In June of that year he hired a young inexperienced newcomer as his male vocalist. His name was Frank Sinatra. The success of his swing sound in New York was not matched outside the city and a trip to Los Angeles proved financially disasterous. The band was struggling through a booking in Chicago at the same time that Tommy Dorsey was appearing there. With Sinatra's wife expecting and the uncertain future of the band James decided to let Sinatra jump to the Dorsey Band. As a replacement James signed Dick Haymes who went on to become one of the top male vocalists. By 1940 James realized that his sound was not going over with the music public. He adopted a new sound adding a string section to support his new sound on Columbia Records. He made several schmaltzy recordings including "You Made Me Love You" which became a big hit. After Haymes left the band he hired John McAfee as male vocalist and after trying several female vocalists he settled on Helen Forrest. While working in Hollywood he met and fell in love with sweater queen Betty Grable whom he married after he divorced his first wife singer Louise Tobin. When Helen Forrest left he hired Helen Ward as her successor and when she left he replaced her with 50s recording star Kitty Kallen. During the mid 40s his interests moved away from music. Died: July, 1983
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