Schmaltzy Auld Lang Syne by Guy Lombardo

Guy Lombardo

Source: Britannica

Canadian violinist, Guy Lombardo, was a popular orchestra leader to whom discographer, Tom Lord, generally listing only jazz sessions, pays little attention, and that to which he does helped Lombardo become the King of Schmaltz, a stringy cheese sort of dance music. He nevertheless comes recommended by Louis Armstrong who in 1942 expressed him as a favorite [Wald]. Among Lombardo's greater rivals in schmaltz was Horace Heidt only a year older than Guy, the latter born in London, Ontario, to Italian immigrants on 19 June of 1902. Among Lombardo's greatest rivals as a sweet dance band leader was Paul Whiteman.

In 1924 Guy formed a sweet band w brothers, Carmen (flute, sax, vocals) and Lebert (trumpet). His brother, Victor (sax), would join later, as well as sister, Rose (vocals). Guy brought his band called the Royal Canadians to the Gennett recording studios in Richmond, IN, on 10 March of 1924 to record five tracks. The first, 'Someone Loves You After All' went unissued. 'So This Is Venice' / 'Cry' saw Gennett 5416. 'Cotton Picker's Ball' / 'Mama's Gone, Goodbye' was issued on Gennett 5417.

'Mama's Gone, Goodbye'   Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians

Recorded 10 March 1924   Gennett 5417

Trumpet: Lebert Lombardo   Trombone: Jack Miles

Clarinet / alto sax: Carmen Lombardo   Tenor sax: Fred Higman

Piano: Fred Kreitzer   Bass: Francis Henry   Drums: George Gowans

Composition: Armand Piron / Pete Bocage

Lombardo's big break came upon moving his operation to Chicago to play at Al Quodbach's Granada Cafe in 1927 [Senstock], then paying a radio station (WBBM) to broadcast fifteen minutes of his band's performance. That created a stir such that people listening to the broadcast went to the Granada and packed it. The station meanwhile received so many phone calls that it decided to broadcast Lombardo's performance later into the evening. Lombardo issued 'Charmaine!' (Columbia 1048) later that year to huge success. The Granada was a gangland hangout and it is speculated that the murders of Hugh McGovern and Will McPadden by George Maloney were heard over the radio during a Lombardo broadcast by WBBM on Dec 31 of 1928 [Gangsters Inc / newspaper clipping]. Lombardo's 'Charmaine' was the first of 118 Top Ten issues by Lombardo and His Royal Canadians. His last didn't arrive until 'Blue Tango' at #9 on Billboard in March 1952. 'Charmaine' was his initial of 23 releases topping the charts at #1, his final arriving with 'The 3rd Man Theme' in March 1950. His overall best-selling titles in order were 'It's Love-Love-Love' of 1944, 'Winter Wonderland' of 1934 and 'It Looks Like Rain in Cherry Blossom Lane' of 1937. DAHR approaches 500 singles recorded by Lombardo, a small percentage of which made the charts.

'Charmaine!'   Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians backing Weston Vaughan

Recorded 13 June 1927 Chicago   Columbia 1048-D   Charts: #1 1927

Composition: Emo Rapee / Lew Pollack

'Love Me or Leave Me'   Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians backing Carmen Lombardo

Recorded 20 March 1929   Columbia 1782-D

Music: Walter Donaldson   Lyrics: Gus Kahn

Among frequent themes in the early decades of ragtime or popular recording was the college fight song that continued through the Roaring Twenties, at the latter end of which Lombardo recorded renditions of numerous on 'College Medley Fox Trot' in 1929 (Columbia 1996-D) just after commencing his residency of above thirty years at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City upon his first performance there on October 3, 1929.

Roosevelt Hotel

Venue of 'Auld Lang Syne' on New Year's Eve 1929-1966

45 East 45th Street between Madison and Vanderbilt

Opened 22 Sep 1924  Shuttered 18 Dec 2020

Source: Wikipedia

'College Medley Fox Trot'   Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians

Recorded 7 Oct 1929   Columbia 1996-D   Charts: #6 1929

Lombardo gave the first of his famous New Year's Eve broadcasts from the Roosevelt on 31 December 1929, beginning the tradition for which he would become famous, his rendition of 'Auld Lang Syne' at midnight. Not only would Lombardo continue performing 'Auld Lang Syne' at the stroke of midnight each new year for the next thirty-seven years, but all the English-speaking world would celebrate the same, making 'Auld Lang Syne' one of the most significant songs ever written. It was first published by Robert Burns in 1788, fitted to an old English or Scottish folk melody. Burns later credited the song to an "old man" unidentified. Lombardo eventually recorded 'Auld Lang Lyne' on numerous occasions beginning on 7 March 1939 toward release on Decca 2478 and DL-8655 (LP). People apparently heard enough of 'Auld Lang Syne' every New Year's Eve on radio in NYC. It wasn't so popular throughout the rest of the nation, as no issue of 'Auld Lang Syne' ever sold well enough to make the charts (: Billboard). The tradition of the Times Square ball drop, incidentally, had well preceded that of 'Auld Lang Syne' at the Roosevelt, initiated in 1907 via flagpole.

As indicated, Lombardo was hugely popular otherwise as well. During the thirties he issued chart-capping titles like 'Red Sails in the Sunset' (1935), 'Lost' (1936) and 'Boo-Hoo' (1937). Vocalist, Kenny Gardner, hooked up with Lombardo in 1940, they to remain a combination for years to come.

'Too Late'   Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians backing Kate Smith

Recorded 8 Dec 1931   Columbia 2578-D

Music: Victor Young   Lyrics: Sam Lewis

'Paradise'   Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians

Carmen Lombardo w the Lombardo Trio

Recorded 14 April 1932   Brunswick 6290   Charts: #1 1932

Composition: Nacio Herb Brown / Gordon Clifford

'How Deep Is the Ocean'   Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians backing Carmen Lombardo

Recorded 7 Oct 1932   Brunswick 6399   Charts: #4 1932

Composition: Irving Berlin

'Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen'   Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians / Lombardo Trio

Recorded 15 Dec 1937   Victor 25739   Charts: #2 1938

Music: Sholom Secunda   Lyrics: Sammy Cahn / Saul Chaplin

'Auld Lang Syne'   Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians

Recorded 7 March 1939   Decca 2478

Music: Anon Scottish trad set 1799   Text: Robert Burns 1788

'Auld Lang Syne'   Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians / Lombardo Trio

Recorded 9 Sep 1947   Decca 24260-A

Music: Anon Scottish trad set 1799   Text: Robert Burns 1788

'The Big Bands'   Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians   Television   1965

Beyond music, Lombardo's second love was speedboat racing, winning every trophy in the field, including the Gold Cup in 1946. Selling more than 100 million records, Lombardo died on 5 November 1977 in Houston [obit].