It's hard to imagine having a career in music more sheer fun than Fred Waring's. Starting a banjo orchestra with his brother and friends while a student at Penn State University, the band did so well he had to choose between that and architecture, and chose music. By 1922 the 9-member band toured locally, growing to 11 members on their tour through Canada, playing snappy, fast-paced numbers. Success in the Detroit-Chicago area led to a Victor recording contract and "Sleep," their first smash hit. Movies (Harold Lloyd's "The Freshman," RKO's "Syncopation," the Broadway musical "Hello, Yourself," and Fred and the Pennsylvanians were a top box office draw on a level with Paul Whiteman's orchestra. Fred's own 1930 musical comedy "Rah Rah Daze" became a smash on Broadway called "The New Yorkers." Millions tuned into his regular radio programs with the band and Waring's "Glee Club," from 1933 through the war years, finally ending in 1957. During this time he had a regular TV slot from 1947 to 1954 and a daytime show in 1957. Concert tours continued through the 1970s, finally playing at Reagan's inaugural in 1981. Finding time to invent the famous Waring blender, Waring died at Penn State, where it had all begun, in 1984. Included here are 24 upbeat, funny, fun tunes, all orchestrally accompanied, songs like "Collegiate," "Does My Sweetie Do-And How!," the title tune, "Let Me Sing and I'm Happy," H'lo Baby," "Red Hot Chicago," "Dancing in The Dark," Irving Berlin's "Let's Have Another Cup of Coffee" and "I Say It's Spinach," "Fit as a Fiddle" and ending with their first hit, "Sleep." This is great stuff from a more innocent time, and plenty of it. Highly recommended. |