The Pied Pipers
Encyclopedia
The Pied Pipers were a popular
singing
group in the late 1930s and 1940s. Originally they consisted of eight members who had belonged to three separate groups: Jo Stafford
from The Stafford Sisters, and seven male singers: John Huddleston, Hal Hopper, Chuck Lowry, Bud Hervey, George Tait, Woody Newbury, and Dick Whittinghill
, who had belonged to two groups named The Four Esquires and The Three Rhythm Kings. Multi-instrumentalist Spencer Clark
was also a member at one point.
Paul Weston
and Axel Stordahl
, who were arrangers for Tommy Dorsey
's big band
, heard of the group through two of The King Sisters
, Alyce and Yvonne. Weston had a jam session at his home and a visiting advertising executive signed the octet for Dorsey's radio
program, broadcast in New York City. They sang with Dorsey's orchestra for about six weeks before a British representative of the sponsor objected to some of the songs in their repertoire and fired them. They went back to California
, but in the time they had been in New York had recorded two records for RCA Victor Records
.
In Los Angeles
, the group was reduced to a quartet: Jo Stafford, her then-husband John Huddleston, and Chuck Lowry from the original eight, and Billy Wilson. They were getting very little work, however, and were on the threshold of disbanding when they received a call from Tommy Dorsey (in Chicago). Dorsey said he could not afford to hire eight Pipers but would be happy to have them join him if they could cut the number down to a quartet. As they had already done that, and with only one unemployment check remaining, they were happy to comply.
In 1939, they moved to Chicago, with Clark Yocum, who had played guitar
and sung for Dorsey, replacing Wilson. Although Paul Weston left Dorsey to become Dinah Shore
's music director about that time, he was to figure in the fortunes of the group again.
In 1940, Dorsey hired another vocalist, Frank Sinatra
, who had previously sung in a quartet, The Hoboken Four, and later with Harry James
' orchestra. Sinatra and the Pipers teamed to record a major hit, I'll Never Smile Again
, in that year. The group had twelve more chart hits with Dorsey, ten of them with Sinatra. Also, Jo Stafford herself had a solo hit, Yes Indeed, in 1941.
Around Thanksgiving, 1942, Tommy Dorsey (who was prone to incidents of bad temper) became angry at one of the Pipers for sending him in the wrong direction at a railroad station in Portland, Oregon
, and fired him. The Pipers, out of "team loyalty," resigned en masse. At that moment, the #1 record on the charts was There Are Such Things
sung by Frank Sinatra and the Pied Pipers, the last RCA record they did with Dorsey.
They returned to Los Angeles and signed with Capitol Records
, where Paul Weston was now working, and he became the arranger and orchestra leader for most of the Pipers' recordings. Huddleston left to join the war effort (also about that time, he was divorced from Jo Stafford), and Hal Hopper rejoined the group to replace him. And in 1944 Jo Stafford had a hit on her own, ahead of the Pipers, and after a couple more hits, she left for good to pursue a solo career. June Hutton
replaced her, leaving another group, The Stardusters.
The Pipers had twelve charted hit singles on Capitol, including Dream
and ending up with My Happiness (biggest hit version by Jon and Sondra Steele, later made popular again by Connie Francis
) in 1948. They also continued a relationship with Frank Sinatra, doing a number of tours with him starting in 1945, and becoming a regular on his radio program from 1945 to 1947.
In 1950, June Hutton left the group, to be replaced by Sue Allen, and later Virginia Marcy. She married Axel Stordahl, the other half of Dorsey's original arranging team. Just as Jo Stafford (who had married Paul Weston) had her husband's orchestra accompany her on her solo hits, June Hutton's solo hits on Capitol in the 1950s featured Stordahl's orchestra as backing group.
The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
in 2001.
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
singing
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
group in the late 1930s and 1940s. Originally they consisted of eight members who had belonged to three separate groups: Jo Stafford
Jo Stafford
Jo Elizabeth Stafford was an American singer of traditional pop music and jazz standards and occasional actress whose career ran from the late 1930s to the early 1960s...
from The Stafford Sisters, and seven male singers: John Huddleston, Hal Hopper, Chuck Lowry, Bud Hervey, George Tait, Woody Newbury, and Dick Whittinghill
Dick Whittinghill
Dick Whittinghill was an American movie and television actor, recording artist and radio disc jockey in the United States...
, who had belonged to two groups named The Four Esquires and The Three Rhythm Kings. Multi-instrumentalist Spencer Clark
Spencer Clark
Spencer Clark was a racecar driver in the United States. He raced in short tracks in his home state of Nevada and was named a Young Lions National in 2001. In 2003, he competed in four races in the Mechanix Wear SpeedTruck Series, grabbing three pole positions. He was also named Rookie of the Year...
was also a member at one point.
Paul Weston
Paul Weston
Paul Weston was an American pianist, arranger, composer and conductor. Weston was born Paul Wetstein in Springfield, Massachusetts...
and Axel Stordahl
Axel Stordahl
Axel Stordahl was an arranger who was active from the late 1930s through the 1950s. He is perhaps best known for his work with Frank Sinatra in the 1940s at Columbia Records...
, who were arrangers for Tommy Dorsey
Tommy Dorsey
Thomas Francis "Tommy" Dorsey, Jr. was an American jazz trombonist, trumpeter, composer, and bandleader of the Big Band era. He was known as "The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing", due to his smooth-toned trombone playing. He was the younger brother of bandleader Jimmy Dorsey...
's big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
, heard of the group through two of The King Sisters
The King Sisters
The King Sisters were an American big band-era vocal quartet.-History:Born and raised in Pleasant Grove, Utah, about 35 miles south of Salt Lake City, the King Sisters originally were part of the "Driggs Family of Entertainers"."In the early 1930s sisters Luise, Maxine and Alyce formed a vocal trio...
, Alyce and Yvonne. Weston had a jam session at his home and a visiting advertising executive signed the octet for Dorsey's radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
program, broadcast in New York City. They sang with Dorsey's orchestra for about six weeks before a British representative of the sponsor objected to some of the songs in their repertoire and fired them. They went back to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, but in the time they had been in New York had recorded two records for RCA Victor Records
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
.
In Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, the group was reduced to a quartet: Jo Stafford, her then-husband John Huddleston, and Chuck Lowry from the original eight, and Billy Wilson. They were getting very little work, however, and were on the threshold of disbanding when they received a call from Tommy Dorsey (in Chicago). Dorsey said he could not afford to hire eight Pipers but would be happy to have them join him if they could cut the number down to a quartet. As they had already done that, and with only one unemployment check remaining, they were happy to comply.
In 1939, they moved to Chicago, with Clark Yocum, who had played guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and sung for Dorsey, replacing Wilson. Although Paul Weston left Dorsey to become Dinah Shore
Dinah Shore
Dinah Shore was an American singer, actress, and television personality...
's music director about that time, he was to figure in the fortunes of the group again.
In 1940, Dorsey hired another vocalist, Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, who had previously sung in a quartet, The Hoboken Four, and later with Harry James
Harry James
Henry Haag “Harry” James was a trumpeter who led a jazz swing band during the Big Band Era of the 1930s and 1940s. He was especially known among musicians for his astonishing technical proficiency as well as his superior tone.-Biography:He was born in Albany, Georgia, the son of a bandleader of a...
' orchestra. Sinatra and the Pipers teamed to record a major hit, I'll Never Smile Again
I'll Never Smile Again
"I'll Never Smile Again" is a 1939 song written by Ruth Lowe.The most successful and best known version of the song was recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra, with vocals provided by Frank Sinatra and The Pied Pipers. This recording was released as a Victor 78, 26628A, in 1940...
, in that year. The group had twelve more chart hits with Dorsey, ten of them with Sinatra. Also, Jo Stafford herself had a solo hit, Yes Indeed, in 1941.
Around Thanksgiving, 1942, Tommy Dorsey (who was prone to incidents of bad temper) became angry at one of the Pipers for sending him in the wrong direction at a railroad station in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, and fired him. The Pipers, out of "team loyalty," resigned en masse. At that moment, the #1 record on the charts was There Are Such Things
There Are Such Things
"There Are Such Things" is a popular song by Stanley Adams, Abel Baer, and George W. Meyer, published in 1942.The most popular version of the song, by Tommy Dorsey's orchestra, reached #1 on the charts, but many other versions have been recorded since....
sung by Frank Sinatra and the Pied Pipers, the last RCA record they did with Dorsey.
They returned to Los Angeles and signed with Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, where Paul Weston was now working, and he became the arranger and orchestra leader for most of the Pipers' recordings. Huddleston left to join the war effort (also about that time, he was divorced from Jo Stafford), and Hal Hopper rejoined the group to replace him. And in 1944 Jo Stafford had a hit on her own, ahead of the Pipers, and after a couple more hits, she left for good to pursue a solo career. June Hutton
June Hutton
June Hutton was an American popular singer.-Career:Born in Chicago of African American descent, in the late 1930s, Hutton joined the band of her older sister, Ina Ray Hutton, singing under the name of Elaine Merritt...
replaced her, leaving another group, The Stardusters.
The Pipers had twelve charted hit singles on Capitol, including Dream
Dream (song)
"Dream", sometimes referred to as "Dream ", is a jazz and pop standard with words and music written by Johnny Mercer in 1944...
and ending up with My Happiness (biggest hit version by Jon and Sondra Steele, later made popular again by Connie Francis
Connie Francis
Connie Francis is an American pop singer of Italian heritage and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1950s and 1960s. Although her chart success waned in the second half of the 1960s, Francis remained a top concert draw...
) in 1948. They also continued a relationship with Frank Sinatra, doing a number of tours with him starting in 1945, and becoming a regular on his radio program from 1945 to 1947.
In 1950, June Hutton left the group, to be replaced by Sue Allen, and later Virginia Marcy. She married Axel Stordahl, the other half of Dorsey's original arranging team. Just as Jo Stafford (who had married Paul Weston) had her husband's orchestra accompany her on her solo hits, June Hutton's solo hits on Capitol in the 1950s featured Stordahl's orchestra as backing group.
The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
Vocal Group Hall of Fame
The Vocal Group Hall of Fame was organized to honor outstanding vocal groups throughout the world. It is headquartered in Sharon, Pennsylvania, United States. It includes a theater and a museum....
in 2001.