[Dixielandjazz] Morer on Pete Smythe and Jim Hawthorne

[Mike Durham]

Oh, say! That's Ted Lewis, not Louis. The man of whom Eddie Condon said "He 
can really make the clarinet talk: it says 'for God's sake, put me back in 
the case!'"

Yes, Sir!

MikeD

>From: "Bob Romans" <cellblk7 at comcast.net>
>To: "G. William Oakley" <gwilliamoakley at earthlink.net>,"robert craven" 
><bcraven24 at comcast.net>
>CC: DJML <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
>Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Morer on Pete Smythe and Jim Hawthorne
>Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2003 16:53:31 -0600
>
>Did any of you Coloradoans hear of the Dick Mango big dance band from
>Loveland, Colorado?
>He played tenor sax with Ted (Is everybody happy?) Louis during the war
>years, and made a couple of movies with him too. Originally from the east
>coast, and one hell-of-a-musician!
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: G. William Oakley <gwilliamoakley at earthlink.net>
>To: robert craven <bcraven24 at comcast.net>
>Cc: DJML <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
>Date: Thursday, October 30, 2003 5:51 PM
>Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Morer on Pete Smythe and Jim Hawthorne
>
>
>I think you are right about the Shirley-Savoy.  When I first came to Denver
>as a callow youth all of the downtown hotels had music and most of the
>downtown bars had at the very least a piano and most likely a trio.  
>Shaners
>on 17th Street had Johnny Smith, the Senate Lounge had Effie, and you could
>go all the way out east Colfax to the Aurora Lounge and hear music in a lot
>of great little bars.  Turk once told me he played the Zanzibar.  Wasn't
>that the funny place out on Colfax that was a quonset hut and later became 
>a
>C & W joint? Ah, the good old days.
>Best,
>Bill
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "robert craven" <bcraven24 at comcast.net>
>To: "G. William Oakley" <gwilliamoakley at earthlink.net>
>Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2003 3:48 PM
>Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Morer on Pete Smythe and Jim Hawthorne
>
>
> > Bill, I worked with Pete many times, I also did the "Round Up Riders of
>the
> > Rockies" with Pete's "Blister Bottom Symphony". The story I like is 
>about
> > the depression years and Pete would book gigs, out of town, usually, in
> > north eastern Colorado. Pete had a union band but he'd book these gigs,
>non
> > union, under scale, as the "Ernie Caldwell Orchestra". This was to keep
>the
> > guys working.
> > The Hotel Jim Hawthorne memtioned was probably the
> > Shirly Savoy  (Silver Glade Ballroom). Pete was there for several years.
> >
> > Bob Craven
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "G. William Oakley" <gwilliamoakley at earthlink.net>
> > To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> > Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2003 12:49 PM
> > Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Morer on Pete Smythe and Jim Hawthorne
> >
> >
> > > This from Hawthorne in print regarding his big band debut with Pete
> > Smythe.
> > >
> > >
> > > That current TV commercial hustling ice cream bars -- you know, where
>they
> > > ask a man to sing I'm A Little Teapot -- well, that ad reminds me of 
>my
> > > first, only and final appearance as a "singer" with a big-band.
> > >     During my Mile High City fledgling years in radio, my on-air 
>partner
> > on
> > > a daily afternoon deejay show was a gentle man by the name of Pete
>Smythe.
> > > Pete was also the leader of a well-known dance orchestra in the Denver
> > area.
> > > Evenings, his band played at a swank Denver hotel ballroom. EAGER
> > BEAVER...
> > > As we are sometimes prone to do in our learning years, I was anxious 
>to
>be
> > a
> > > part of everything. One momentous day, Pete asked me if I'd like to 
>sing
>a
> > > novelty number with his band. I had never had any training in singing,
> > > however, I enthusiastically said "yes" to his invitation. That night I
> > went
> > > to the hotel for my grand vocal debut. At that time, the current big 
>hit
> > > novelty song on the radio was the very same I'm a Little Teapot. The
>song
> > > had a big-band arrangement, but a singer (with the band) had not yet
>been
> > > named. The job was mine, if I "clicked." The drummer usually sang the
> > "funny
> > > stuff." I sat in front of the musicians, just like Frank Sinatra sat 
>in
> > > front of the Tommy Dorsey band. I was self-consciously dressed in a
> > tuxedo,
> > > clutching little cards with the words to the song, waiting for my
> > > introduction. HERE HE IS...
> > >     When it came time for me to sing, I was introduced and I stood up
>with
> > > lyrics in hand, waiting for a cue from Pete. My long awaited debut was
>at
> > > hand. I was launching upon a new career - a novelty band singer. Pete
>even
> > > choreographed a little dance, much like the one the guy performs in 
>the
>TV
> > > spot. Within 10 seconds after I began "singing" I noticed the dance
>crowd
> > > slowly shuffling toward their tables, some covering their ears. Within 
>a
> > > minute, I was standing alone in front of the band, "singing" to an 
>empty
> > > dance floor. The reason was simple, I had no idea of how to control my
> > > voice, so I just sang as loud as I could. I figured sheer volume would
>do
> > > the trick.
> > >     I finished my "song" with the band breaking up with laughter, the
> > > audience scowling and the perplexed manager of the ballroom huddling
>with
> > > Pete. As I left the bandstand, the musicians gave me a courteous,
> > > professional round of applause - a simple gesture to a fellow 
>performer,
>I
> > > figured. The drummer winked at me, sending that well-know
>acknowledgement
> > of
> > > a "job well done." He seemed the happiest of them all.
> > >     Smythe, the next day, reluctantly related to me what the manager 
>had
> > > told him: "If that awful Hawthorne ever sings here again, I'll fire 
>you
> > and
> > > the band." It really wasn't necessary for Pete to tell me, I KNEW I 
>was
> > not
> > > destined to be a band singer after that fiasco. It was then that I
>decided
> > > to concentrate on broadcasting as a career.
> > >     Now, after all these years, some dumb TV commercial reminds me of
>the
> > > most sensitive of my many youthful adventures. One thought has 
>occurred
>to
> > > me. I just wonder if the person who dreamed up that TV spot is maybe a
> > > distant relative of one of the dancing couples who happened to witness
>my
> > > "singing debut" that night in Denver. If so, I feel sure he/she was
> > > inspired, subconsciously, perhaps, to re-create the monumental event 
>on
>a
> > TV
> > > spot many years later. I hear the commercial is really working as the
>sale
> > > of those chocolate-covered ice cream bars is at an all-time high.
>Without
> > > doubt, a consequence of my unique performance with a big-band many 
>years
> > > earlier.
> > >
> > > Hey, I want my royalties.
> > >
> > > ©1993 Jim Hawthorne
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > >
> >
> >
>
>
>
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