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Harry James

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For other people named Harry James, see Harry James (disambiguation).

Harry James
Background information
Birth nameHenry Haag James
Born(1916-03-15)March 15, 1916
Albany, Georgia
DiedJuly 5, 1983(1983-07-05) (aged 67)
Las Vegas, Nevada
GenresBig band, swing music
Occupation(s)Musician, bandleader
Years active1933-1983.—

Henry Haag “Harry” James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an actor and musician best known as a trumpeter who led a swing band during the Big Band Swing Era of the 1930s and 1940s. He was especially known among musicians for his astonishing technical proficiency as well as his superior tone.

Biography

From left: Stan "Cuddles" Johnson, Fraser MacPherson, Bob Smith, Harry James, Al Johnson, Stew Barnett. (The Cave Supper Club, May 1970)
From left: Harry James, Lucille Ball, Betty Grable. (The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show, 1958)

Harry James was born in Albany, Georgia,[1] the son of a bandleader in a traveling circus, the Haag Circus. His mother was an acrobat and horseback rider. According to the Bill Sterns Sports Newsreel broadcast on 9/12/42, on which James appeared, he was saved from being trampled, at the age of 6, by his mother's horse after performing with the horse.[2] By the age of 10 he was taking trumpet lessons from his father, who placed him on a strict daily practice schedule. Each day, James was given one page to learn from the Arban's book and was not allowed to pursue any other pastime until he had learned that particular page.

In 1931 his family settled in Beaumont, Texas. It was here, at 15 years of age, that James began playing in local dance bands. James played regularly with Herman Waldman's band, and at one performance was noticed by nationally popular Ben Pollack. [3] In 1935 he joined Pollack's band, but at the start of 1937 left to join Benny Goodman's orchestra, where he stayed through 1938. He was nicknamed "The Hawk" early in his career for his ability to sight-read. A common joke was that if a fly landed on his written music, Harry James would play it. His low range had a warmth associated with the cornet and even the flugelhorn, but this sound was underrecorded in favor of James' brilliant high register.

In January 1939 James debuted his own big band in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but it didn't click until 1941 when he added a string section[4]. This big band became known as Harry James and His Music Makers. [5] His hit "You Made Me Love You" was in the Top 10 during the week of December 7, 1941.[6] He was in two featured roles in two films, "Private Buckaroo" and "Springtime in the Rockies". He toured with the band into the 1980s. He started recording with the minor label Varsity in 1940. [7] To this day, the Harry James Orchestra still exists with Fred Radke as their lead.[8]

His was the first "name band" to employ vocalist Frank Sinatra, in 1939. He wanted to change Sinatra's name to 'Frankie Satin' but Sinatra refused. His later band included drummer Buddy Rich. His featured vocalist was Helen Forrest. Johnny MacAfee was featured on the sax and vocals and Corky Corcoran was a youthful sax prodigy.

He played trumpet in the 1950 film Young Man with a Horn,[9] dubbing Kirk Douglas. In the album from that movie, he backed Doris Day and the album charted at #1.James's recording of "I'm Beginning to See the Light" appears in the motion picture My Dog Skip (2000). His music is also featured in the Woody Allen film Hannah and Her Sisters. James recorded many popular records and appeared in many Hollywood movies.

He was second only to Glenn Miller as the most successful recording artist of 1942.[2] His orchestra succeeded Miller's on a program sponsored by Chesterfield Cigarettes that year when Miller disbanded his orchestra to enter the Army. A major reason James disbanded his big band group in 1946 was lack of income, so James decided to call it quits.[7] After disbanding his band, he continued his career in a smaller jazz group, Harry James and His Music Makers. [10]

James was married three times. On May 4, 1935, he married singer Louise Tobin, with whom he had two children. They divorced in 1943.[2] That same year, he married actress Betty Grable. They had two daughters, Victoria and Jessica, before divorcing in 1965. James married a third time in 1968 to Las Vegas showgirl Joan Boyd, whom he would divorce in March 1970. Contrary to some assertions, he did not marry a fourth time. He had five children (two by Tobin, two by Grable, one by Boyd) and (as of his death) 16 grandchildren.

James owned several thoroughbred racehorses that won races such as the California Breeders' Champion Stakes (1951) and the San Vicente Stakes (1954). He was also a founding investor in the Atlantic City Race Course. His knowledge of horse racing was demonstrated during a 1958 appearance on The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour entitled "Lucy Wins A Racehorse.[11] "

In 1983, James was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer, but he continued to work, playing his last professional job on June 26, 1983, in Los Angeles, California, just nine days before his death in Las Vegas, Nevada.[1][12] The job had become his final performance with the Harry James Orchestra. [5] He died exactly 40 years after his marriage to Betty Grable (July 5, 1943), who was buried exactly 30 years after that date (July 5, 1973). Frank Sinatra gave the eulogy at the Bunkers Eden Vale Memorial Park in Las Vegas.[12]

In 2007, a personally owned and stage-played custom made trumpet formerly owned by both James and trumpeter Joe Cabot was sold at auction for a mid five-figure amount. It was played by both men while they toured together from 1979–1982 in the musical review The Big Broadcast of 1944.

Filmography

Singles

  • My life resolves around you whoo (1954)

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "The Dead Rock Stars Club". Retrieved July 17, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c "Allmusic". Retrieved July 19, 2008.
  3. ^ Harry James and his big band. Touchoftonga.com. Retrieved on 2013-07-21.
  4. ^ Billboard July 18, 1942
  5. ^ a b James, Harry (Haag) – Jazz.com | Jazz Music – Jazz Artists – Jazz News. Jazz.com. Retrieved on 2013-07-21.
  6. ^ "http://www.harryjamesband.com" Harry James Orchestra – Official Site
  7. ^ a b "http://www.parabrisas.com/d_jamesh.php" Harry James -- Solid!
  8. ^ The Life of Harry James. Fredradke.com. Retrieved on 2013-07-21.
  9. ^ "Harry James"
  10. ^ Harry James: Information from. Answers.com. Retrieved on 2013-07-21.
  11. ^ "The Lucy Desi Comedy Hour Lucy Wins A Racehorse"
  12. ^ a b Findagrave.com
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