Al Bowley - the best crooner ever.

1. The Stein Song
2. Heigh-Ho Everybody Heigh-Ho
3. The Whiffen Poof Song
4. Betty Co-Ed
5. Kitty From Kansas City
6. A Little Kiss Each Morning
7. Dream Sweetheart
8. Lover Come Back To Me
9. Sweet And Lovely
10. The Very Thought Of You
11. Time On My Hands
12. We've Got The Moon & Sixpence
13. All I Do Is Dream of You
14. Guilty
15. Did I Ever See A Dream Walking
16. I've Got To Sing A Torch Song




Rudy Vallee & Al Bowley

Rudy Vallee - Born in Vermont on July 28th 1901, Hebert Pryor Vallee became one of the most popular singers of the 30's. He learned to play saxophone and clarinet as a child; he joined the Navy at the start of WW1 but was discharged when his age was discovered. He resumed his education and after graduating high school he enrolled at the University of Maine, it was here that he earned the nickname "Rudy" because of his constant listening to recordings of saxophonist Rudy Wiedoeft.

In 1922 Vallee transferred to Yale University and began playing with a group known as the "Yale Collegians". He took a year off from college in 1924 to play in London after which he returned to Yale and completed his degree in Philosophy.

After his graduation he formed a band called the "Connecticut Yankee's" and he began singing with a megaphone to enhance his soft style. The group made their first appearance at the Heigh-Ho Club in 1928 and quickly became popular. Radio and movies soon followed and Vallee was a huge star until the late 40's when his popularity as a singer waned. His movie career continued until the mid 70's and he performed live until his death on July 3rd 1986.

Al Bowley - Albert Alick Bowley was born on January 7th 1899 in Mozambique; his father was Greek and his mother Lebanese. The family moved to Johannesburg, South Africa where Al learned to play banjo and ukulele.

After leaving school at 14 he trained as a barber but he sang and played in bars at night, he was taken on as vocalist with Edgar Adler's band in 1924 and toured South Africa and India. Following an on stage argument with Adler, Al remained in Calcutta performing solo until joining the Jimmy Lequime Orchestra in 1926.

Arriving in Berlin in 1927 he made his first record "Song Of The Wanderer" with Arthur Briggs, Savoy Syncopators quickly followed by his first solo release "Blue Skies". He then moved on to London to join Fred Elizalde but this outfit split up in 1929 leaving Al almost destitute.

From 1930 Al began recording solo and over the next ten years he released almost 700 tracks sometimes with orchestra's such as Lew Stone's and Roy Fox's. He formed the "Radio City Rhythm Makers" in 1937 but this group was short lived as Al had to go to America for an operation on his throat. In 1940 he was working with Jimmy Mesene as "The Radio Stars with Two Guitars" they recorded "When That Man Is Dead And Gone" on April 2nd 1941. Fifteen days later Al was killed by a bomb in the blitz.




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Nuff said
Gordon