Anson Weeks

Anson Weeks

Source:  Swing Time

Born in Oakland, California, on St. Valentines Day in 1896, Anson Weeks was a "sweet" hotel dance band leader who performed largely in Oakland, Sacramento and San Francisco. Forming his first band in 1924, DAHR has Weeks making a test recording of 'New Moon', a title co-written by Weeks with Herbert Marple and George Tyner, as early as 7 Feb of 1925 with his Anson Weeks Orchestra for Victor. It was 1927 that Weeks began a seven-year engagement at the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco, his band thus called the Hotel Mark Hopkins Orchestra. His first session to issue with that band was held on 3 May 1928 toward 'Dream House' and 'Wob-a-ly Walk' on Columbia 1409. Come his Hotel Mark Hopkins Orchestra on January 28 and 29 toward 'Susianna' and 'Give Your Little Baby Lots of Lovin'' on Columbia 40004 with 'Senorita' and 'Ploddin' Along' on Columbia 1742.

'Dream House'   Anson Weeks Orchestra backing Charles Hamp

Weeks' first recording to see issue

3 May 1928 in Los Angeles   Matrix W146227   Columbia 1409-D

Music: Lynn Cowan   Lyrics: Earle Foxe

'Wob-a-ly Walk'   Anson Weeks Orchestra

Weeks' second recording to see issue

3 May 1928 in Los Angeles   Matrix W146228   Columbia 1409-D

Music: Harry Warren   Lyrics: Bud Green

'Señorita'   Anson Weeks' Hotel Mark Hopkins Orchestra backing Warren Luce

29 Jan 1929 in San Francisco   Matrix W147834   Columbia 1742-D

Composition: Anson Weeks

'Ploddin' Along'   Anson Weeks' Hotel Mark Hopkins Orchestra backing Warren Luce

29 Jan 1929 in San Francisco   Matrix W147835   Columbia 1742-D

Composition: Peter De Rose / Willard Robison / Jo Trent

'Now I'm in Love'   Anson Weeks Hotel Mark Hopkins Orchestra backing Warren Luce

19 June 1929 in San Francisco   Matrix W148596   Columbia 1894-D

Music: Ted Shapiro   Lyrics: Jack Yellen

'Tear Drops'   Anson Weeks Hotel Mark Hopkins Orchestra

19 June 1929 in San Francisco   Matrix W148597   Columbia 1894-D

Music: Lou Davis   Lyrics: Jack Yellen

'Ro-Ro-Rollin' Along'   Anson Weeks Hotel Mark Hopkins Orchestra backing Irving Kaufman

21 May 1930 in NYC   Matrix W150518   Columbia 2211-D

Composition: Murray Mencher / Billy Moll / Harry Richman

Radio broadcasts below are unidentified, thus put in alphabetical rather than chronological order. All may well be with his Hotel Mark Hopkins Orchestra at the Peacock Court in San Francisco transcribed sometime in 1932, but I credit the Anson Weeks' Orchestra interchangeably in the event that such may not be the exact case for all.

'If I Could Call You Sweetheart'   Anson Weeks' Orchestra

Radio broadcast prob in San Francisco sometime 1932

Composition: Frank Magine

'Rain, Rain Go Away'   Anson Weeks' Orchestra w the Rhythmsters Trio

Radio broadcast prob in San Francisco sometime 1932

Composition: Wikipedia (17th century English nursery rhyme)

'Who’s Your Little Who-Zis?'   Anson Weeks' Orchestra backing Bill Moreing

Radio broadcast prob in San Francisco sometime 1932

Composition: Ben Bernie / Al Goehring / Walter Hirsch

'You Little So and So'   Anson Weeks' Orchestra backing Bill Moreing

Radio broadcast prob in San Francisco sometime 1932

Composition: Marlene Dietrich

'Me Minus You'   Anson Weeks and His Music backing Bill Moreing

15 Sep 1932 in San Francisco   Matrix SF 9A   Brunswick 6391

Composition: Abel Baer / John Jacob Loeb / Paul Francis Webster

'Thank Heaven For You'   Anson Weeks and His Orchestra backing Art Wilson

1 May 1933 in San Francisco   Matrix SF 44 A   Brunswick 6575

Composition: Leo Robin / Ralph Rainger

Weeks' most popular releases per charts at Music VF were 'The Breeze' in 1934 and 'How Could You?' in 1937. In the meanwhile he and his band were featured in the Paramount Headliner, 'Musical Cocktail', in 1935 [IMDb].

'The Breeze'   Anson Weeks and His Orchestra backing Kay St. Germain

20 July 1934 in Los Angeles   Matrix W152624   Brunswick 6946

Composition: Dick Smith / Tony Sacco / Al Lewis

'How Could You?'   Anson Weeks and His Orchestra backing Margie Dee

26 Jan 1937 in Los Angeles   Matrix 91082A   Decca 1134 B

Composition: Harry Warren / Al Dubin

Weeks was forced to retire from performing in 1941 when an auto accident injured his arm. He then became an auto salesman and real estate agent until 1956 when he began to record again. Early albums from that period include the EP, 'Dancin' with Anson' (1957 per 45Worlds), 'Memories of Dancin' with Anson' (1958), 'More Dancin' with Anson' (1960) and 'Dancin' at Anson's' (1962). Recording dates for albums below are unidentified, but should be in correct chronological order per release.

'Dancin' With Anson At The Sheraton Palace'   Anson Weeks and His Orchestra

Album issued on Fantasy 8001 in 1958

'Memories Of Dancin' With Anson'   Anson Weeks and His Orchestra

Album issued on Fantasy 8006 in 1958

'Anson Weeks And His Orchestra'   Anson Weeks and His Orchestra

Album issued on Fantasy 8076 in 1961

Issued as 'Dancin' At Anson's' on Fantasy 3333 in 1962

'Come Dancin' With Anson At The "Mark"'   Anson Weeks and His Orchestra

Album issued on Fantasy 8090 in 1962

Weeks died of emphysema in Sacramento, California, on 7 February 1969.