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Some days ago I received an email telling me that I had missed some "interesting early Bing Crosby/Rhythm Boys records of 1926" from the online discography.
These were listed to me as "When The Red-Red Robin Comes Bob-Bob-Bobbin'" and "Trudy"
Interest rising I asked for evidence and greater detail, and received an expansion on the information but no real evidence -
Paul Whiteman's Orchestra With The Rhythm Boys (Bing Crosby, Al Rinker & Harry Barris), When The Red-Red Robin Comes Bob-Bob-Bobbin' Along by Harry Woods (1926)
September 2 1926 36091 VICTOR 20177-B
Paul Whiteman's Orchestra With The Rhythm Boys (Bing Crosby, Al Rinker & Harry Barris), Trudy by Charles Tobias & Al Sherman (1926)
September 3 1926 36094 VICTOR 20177-A
Early? - I'll say so. - Those dates are earlier than any other known records of Bing ("I've Got The Girl" was October 18th 1926). And before the "Rhythm Boys" were formed,
So excitement rapidly beginning to cool, but the information sounded remarkably detailed. More examination is clearly demanded.
I asked for evidence to back up the information, and if possible scans of record labels and audio copies. In response I was sent a link to an on-line Jazz anthology
and in particular to a "searched" page within it containing the terms "Bing Crosby" and "1926", which does indeed throw up these two songs precisely as listed.
This recital is already too long - to cut it short - I have listened to each record on line several times and the aural evidence confirmed my earlier scepticism.
Neither contains the Rhythm Boys as we know them (Barris Rinker and Crosby).
Bing himself cannot be aurally identified. The singing group is obviously some combination of those who were used by Whiteman at the time, among whom Fulton, Gaylord and Young are possibilities.
The record listing in the "Discography Of American Historical Recordings" merely shows it as being with "Paul Whiteman Orchestra" and "A Century Of American Popular Music" shows it similarly. Copies of the record label (found on line) merely say (as is usual) "with vocal refrain"
But not Crosby.
Blood pressure eases off, heart rate drops, more relaxation indicated.
I have sent a note to the person who runs the site.
It is too easy to jump to conclusions. Whiteman plus singing group does not equate to "The Rhythm Boys" and "The Rhytm Boys" outside the time frame 1927 - 1930 does not equate to Barris/Rinker/Crosby, though of course there was such a group after our trio had left Whiteman, who kept the name alive.
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The book "Paul Whiteman - Pioneer in American Music - vol 1 1890-1930" has details of the recording sessions. "Red, Red, Robin" lists the vocalists as Jack Fulton, Charles Gaylord and Austin "Skin" Young. The same vocalists were employed for "Trudy",
Last edited by Malcolm Macfarlane (12/7/2015 7:41 am)
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Malcolm Macfarlane wrote:
The book "Paul Whiteman - Pioneer in American Music - vol 1 1890-1930 has details of the recording sessions. "Red, Red, Robin" lists the vocalists as Jack Fulton, Charles Gaylord and Austin "Skin" Young. The same vocalists were employed for "Trudy",
Thank you Malcolm. A book to which I do not have access, but it is good to have confirmation of my own thoughts relating to Fulton, Gaylord and Young.
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Perhaps Fulton-Gaylord-Young might be referred to unofficially as the "False Rhythm Boys"?
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Steve Fay wrote:
Perhaps Fulton-Gaylord-Young might be referred to unofficially as the "False Rhythm Boys"?
"False" could be a good description, both because they were not THE Rhythm Boys but also because they were not very strong in the "rhythm" department.
Whiteman's "sweet" trio.
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These posts led me to look at an old LP which originated in The Netherlands on the Grannyphone label titled PAUL WHITEMAN & HIS ORCHESTRA,VOLUME 2 which includes 'When the red, red robin comes bob-bob-bobbin'along' recorded in New York on 2 September 1926. The sleeve lists that trio as the vocalists. I must play it again to fefresh my appreciation of their performance.