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We're looking for Bea Wain
BEA WAIN ALBUM
Bea was born in 1917 in New York, and is best known for singing on the "Hit Parade" and her time with Larry Clinton and his orchestra. Their version of "Deep Purple" is one of my all time favorite big band recordings.
In an interview a few years ago, Bea described the unusual circumstances that launched her band vocalist career with Larry Clinton; " He heard me on the Kate Smith show. He didn't see me. Actually, it was very strange, because . . . I had a call and went to the phone and this man said, 'My name is Larry Clinton. I'm starting a band and I'm looking for a girl singer and I would like you to make some sides with me.' Which was really cuckoo,'cause I said to myself, 'He never saw me. He never really heard me, it was just a few bars. And he told me to meet him at RCA Victor the next week, he was recording, and he sent me a tune to do, and I did it. And the first time I saw him was when I walked in the studio."
"It was very strange, though, that he sent the tune to me," she remarked. "It was True Confession. That was the name of the song. And he asked me on the phone to tell him what key I was going to do it in. And I called him and told him, and he said, 'Okay, I'll see you Tuesday at RCA." Following the recording session, she would remain with the band. "Oh, I sort-of took it for granted that we would go further."
Quickly, she was the band's star attraction. Wain had four #1 hits:"Cry, Baby. Cry," "Deep Purple", "Heart and Soul" and her signature song, "My Reverie."
Wain stayed with Clinton only a year-and-a-half before deciding to go solo in early 1939. She recorded several titles under her own name and received much critical acclaim. The recording ban of 1942 marked the end of her commercial recording career. She continued to sing, perform, and appear on radio, however, throughout the 1940s.
She later moved to Florida, where she worked as a disc jockey alongside her husband, radio announcer André Baruch (he died in 1991) and later as "Mr. & Mrs. Music" on WMCA New York.. The couple eventually settled in Beverly Hills during the late 1970s where we believe she still resides.
Here is the Larry Clinton orchestra with Bea Wain (a later hi-fi version was made in the 50's with Helen Forrest) and "Deep Purple."
Quickly, she was the band's star attraction. Wain had four #1 hits:"Cry, Baby. Cry," "Deep Purple", "Heart and Soul" and her signature song, "My Reverie."
Wain stayed with Clinton only a year-and-a-half before deciding to go solo in early 1939. She recorded several titles under her own name and received much critical acclaim. The recording ban of 1942 marked the end of her commercial recording career. She continued to sing, perform, and appear on radio, however, throughout the 1940s.
She later moved to Florida, where she worked as a disc jockey alongside her husband, radio announcer André Baruch (he died in 1991) and later as "Mr. & Mrs. Music" on WMCA New York.. The couple eventually settled in Beverly Hills during the late 1970s where we believe she still resides.
Here is the Larry Clinton orchestra with Bea Wain (a later hi-fi version was made in the 50's with Helen Forrest) and "Deep Purple."
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Note: I've received a request from a young San Francisco singer who is working on a tribute to Bea. She wishes to meet or speak with Bea. Bea, or Wayne, if you are agreeable, please contact me rbusciglio@gmail.com
Did Hoagy Carmichael write 'As Time Goes By" ?
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A. Your Dad's answer is the same one that 99 % of my lecture audiences give. All are wrong, of course. This is a great trivia question that no one ever gets right....and for good reason. The writer never received much notice.
The great song is "As Time Goes By.' It is one of the most popular songs from the golden era of the Great American Songbook. As any fan of classic films and the swing era knows, it was THE song in 'CASABLANCA.' It is one of the few successful songs ever written by a "Jersey Boy".....Herman Hupfeld. Herman was born, raised and died in beautiful Montclair, New Jersey. It was home to Buzz Aldrin, great golf architect, Robert Trent Jones, baseball greats Yogi Berra and Larry Doby (first black player in the American League), basketball star/US Senator Bill Bradley, actress Olympia Dukakis, and scores of other distinguished artists, performers, business professionals and musicians who were drawn to the cosmopolitan town that sits high on a hill overlooking Manhattan. It was also the real life home of the Gilbreth family of "Cheaper By The Dozen" fame.
The "piano" player was Dooley Wilson....he was a singer only....could not play the piano. Hoagy Carmichael is a good guess since he appeared as a singing piano player in the later Bogart-Bacall flm "To Have and To Have Not."
Here are Herman Hupfeld's classic lyrics;
You must remember this
A kiss is still a kiss
A sigh is still (just) a sigh
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by
And when two lovers woo
They still say: "i love you"
On that you can rely
No matter what the future brings
As time goes by
Moonlight and love songs - never out of date
Hearts full of passion - jealousy and hate
Woman needs man - and man must have his mate
That no one can deny
It’s still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by
Scenes from the movie "Casablanca" as Frank Sinatra sings "As Time Goes By."
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