HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Buddy Clark

Birth of Swing Jazz: Buddy Clark

Buddy Clark

Popular tenor vocalist, Buddy Clark, was born Samuel Goldberg on 26 July 1912 in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Clark grew up in Boston where he attended law school before dropping that to sing on Boston radio [Dee]. DAHR traces Clark to as early as 1 July 1932 with the Gus Arnheim Orchestra in Chicago, Illinois, at the WMAQ radio studio located in the Daily News Building. That was toward a couple of instrumental waltzes along with 'Down by the Old Mill Stream' on radio transcription disc Victor L-16011. Transcription discs were recordings first scratched on wax by or at radio stations for lease to broadcast by other radio stations throughout the land, which was the way radio was heard until disc jockeys began to spin commercial releases, especially upon the replacement of disc recording by magnetic tape in 1945, introducing the modern recording era. Musicians weren't paid each time they were heard on the radio, albeit those who performed commercial jingles or held copyrights were paid a flat fee.

On 2 July of 1932 Arnheim and Clark recorded 'Evening' released on Victor L 24061. It's then a couple years before Tom Lord's discography has Clark issuing 'Hands Across the Table' (Columbia 2970) with Lud Gluskin from a session on October 26, 1934, in New York City. Clark hooked up the same year with Benny Goodman's band. His debut recordings with Goodman were on November 26, 'I'm a Hundred Percent for You' and 'Like a Bolt from the Blue' (Columbia 2988-D). Clark wasn't with Goodman long, their last session on April 4 of 1935: 'I'm Living in a Great Big Way', 'Hooray for Love' and 'The Dixieland Band'.

'Evening' Buddy Clark backed by the Gus Arnheim Orchestra

2 July 1932 in Chicago Matrix BRC-71765 Victor 24061

Music: Grace Kahn / Gus Arnheim Lyrics: Gus Kahn

'Irresistible' Buddy Clark backed by the Archie Bleyer Orchestra

Matrix 16210-1 Issued Oct 1934 on Vocalion 2823-A

Composition: Johnny Burke / Harold Spina

'I'm Livin' in a Great Big Way' Buddy Clark backed by the Benny Goodman Orchestra

4 April 1935 in NYC 1 of 2 takes issued on either Camden CAM 872 or Victor 25011

Music: Jimmy McHugh Lyrics: Dorothy Fields

Clark also recorded with jazz artists such as Dick McDonough and Johnny Hodges in the thirties.

'Midnight Blue' Buddy Clark

5 Aug 1936 in NYC Matrix 19664-1 ARC 6-11-04

Trumpet: Bunny Berigan Trombone: Lloyd Turner?

Clarinet / alto sax: Artie Shaw Tenor sax: Babe Russin?

Bass sax: Adrian Rollini? Guitar: Dick McDonough Drums: Cozy Cole?

Music: Joe Burke Lyrics: Edgar Leslie

'May I Have The Next Romance with You?' Buddy Clark backed by the Lud Gluskin Orchestra

13 Nov 1936 Brunswick 7788

Music: Harry Revel Lyrics: Mack Gordon

'I Hum a Waltz' Buddy Clark backed by Xavier Cugat and his Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra

5 April 1937 in NYC Matrix BS-07717 Victor 25567

Trumpet: Phil Hart / Joseph Piana Sax: Ruben Moss / Max Nadel

Accordion: Billy Hobbs Piano: Nilo Menéndez

Violin: Xavier Cugat / Max Wannowsky Guitar: Pedro Berríos

Harp: Florence Wightman Bass: Charles Gonzales

Traps (drums): Albert Calderon / Antonio Lopez

Music: Harry Revel Lyrics: Mack Gordon

'A Sailboat in the Moonlight' Buddy Clark backed by the Johnny Hodges Orchestra

20 May 1937 in NYC Matrix 21187-1 Variety VA 586

Trumpet: Cootie Williams Clarinet / tenor sax: Barney Bigard

Alto sax: Johnny Hodges / Otto Hardwick Baritone sax: Harry Carney

Piano: Duke Ellington Guitar: Fred Guy

Bass: Hayes Alvis Drums: Sonny Greer

Composition: John Jacob Loeb / Carmen Lombardo

'If What You Say Is True' Buddy Clark

C Aug 1939 Matrix US-7843 Regent 169

Music: Henry Nemo Lyrics: Mack Gordon

'The Stars Remain' Buddy Clark

13 Nov 1940 Matrix CO 29071 Okeh 5938

Music: Jay Gorney Lyrics: Henry Myers

Among Clark's venues during World War II was the 'Notes from Your Soldier's Notebook' radio program for the Sixth Service Command, Clark a sergeant serving in Chicago. In titles below he is backed by the 334th Army Service Band led by Sergeant Carmen Dello. Also under the auspices of the Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS) was 'The Melody Hour' which was a commercial-free rebroadcast (via 16" 33 1/3 transcription discs) for the military of 'The Carnation Contented Hour'.

'Let Me Love You Tonight' Buddy Clark backed by the Carmen Dello Army Service Band

16 Dec 1944 radio broadcast of 'Notes From Your Soldiers Notebook' (AFRS)

Music: Rene Touzet Lyrics: Mitchell Parish

'What a Difference a Day Made' Buddy Clark backed by the Carmen Dello Army Service Band

23 June 1945 radio broadcast of 'Notes From Your Soldiers Notebook' (AFRS)

Composition

'All The Things You Are' Buddy Clark backed by the Percy Faith Orchestra

4 Nov 1946 radio broadcast of 'The Carnation Contented Hour'

Music: Jerome Kern Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II

Clark became famous via radio (transcriptions) several years before his big name issues topping Billboard's charts at #1 in 1947 per 'Linda' (Columbia ‎37215 with the Ray Noble Orchestra) and 'Peg o' My Heart' (Columbia 37392 with the Mitchell Ayres Orchestra) [Music VF]. 'Linda' was composed by Jack Lawrence in 1946 whose inspiration was Linda McCartney, wife of Paul McCartney, when she was one year old [Wikipedia].

'Linda' Buddy Clark backed by the Ray Noble Orchestra

16 Nov 1946 Matrix CO 37090 Columbia 37215 #1 Billboard 1947

Composition: Jack Lawrence

'More Than You Know' Buddy Clark backed by the Percy Faith Orchestra

18 Nov 1946 radio broadcast of 'The Melody Hour' (AFRS)

Music: Vincent Youmans Lyrics: Edward Eliscu / Billy Rose

'You Are Everything to Me' Buddy Clark backed by the Percy Faith Orchestra

18 Nov 1946 radio broadcast of 'The Melody Hour' (AFRS)

Music: Manuel Sanchez Lyrics English: Mack David

'Peg O’ My Heart' Buddy Clark backed by the Mitchell Ayres Orchestra

25 April 1947 Matrix CO 37671 Columbia 37392 #1 Billboard 1947

Music: Fred Fisher Lyrics: Alfred Bryan

Clark also saw major successes on the charts in 1948, beginning with 'Ballerina' at #6 in January followed by 'Now Is the Hour' with the Charioteers at #6 in March [Music VF]. His duet with Doris Day, 'Love Somebody', rang the bell at #1 in May with 'Confess' flip side at #16 in June [Music VF]. His 'You're Breaking My Heart' flew to #4 in August followed by another duet with Day, 'My Darling, My Darling' reaching #7 in November. 'Baby, It's Cold Outside' with Dinah Shore snagged #3 in May of 1949 [Music VF].

'Ballerina' Buddy Clark backed by the Dick Jones Orchestra

12 Nov 1947 Matrix CO 88381 Columbia 38040 #6 Billboard 1948

Music: Sidney Keith Russell Lyrics: Carl Sigman

'Rosalie' Buddy Clark backed by the Mitchel Ayers Orchestra

24 Dec 1947 Matrix CO 38614 Columbia 38254

Composition: Cole Porter 1928

'My Darling, My Darling' Buddy Clark Duet w Doris Day

22 Sep 1948 Matrix CO 40060 Columbia 38353 A #7 Billboard 1948

Composition: Frank Loesser

'That Certain Party' Buddy Clark Duet w Doris Day

Matrix HCO 3411 issued 25 Oct 1948 on Columbia 38353 B

Music: Walter Donaldson Lyrics: Gus Kahn

'Alice Blue Gown' Buddy Clark

24 Jan 1947 radio broadcast of 'The Carnation Contented Hour'

Music: Harry A. Tierney Lyrics: Joseph McCarthy For the 1919 musical 'Irene'

'Baby It's Cold Outside' Buddy Clark Duet w Dinah Shore

Feb 1949 Matrix HCO 3652 Columbia 38463

Composition: Frank Loesser For 'Neptune's Daughter' 1944

'Birth of the Blues' Buddy Clark

14 March 1949 radio broadcast of 'The Carnation Contented Hour'

Music: Ray Henderson Lyrics: Buddy DeSylva / Lew Brown

IMDb has Clark in the film short, 'Spin That Platter', in September of 1949 before his death a week later at the age of only 37 on 1 October when the plane in which he was riding with five friends ran out of fuel and crashed on Beverley Boulevard in Los Angeles.

Sources & References for Buddy Clark:

Frank E. Dee

Bruce Eder (All Music)

VF History (notes)

Vintage Bandstand

Wikipedia

Audio of Clark: Internet Archive

Clark in Film: IMDb

History of Sound Recording:

Acoustic 1877-1925

Electrical 1925-1945

Magnetic 1945-1975