[Dixielandjazz] Was Jazz ever popular music?

[Steve Barbone]

Charlie Suhor brings up an interesting observation. He points out that there
were innumerable dance bands during the 20s and 30s that we never heard of,
playing their trade in their territories. And that in the 1930s, dance bands
were a major musical force. Probably more dominent than jazz in the 1930s.

Which got me thinking about American Popular music in the decade after World
War 2, 1945 to 1955. Off the top of my head here is a partial list of the
Pop Singing Stars of that decade. Why singers? Because during this decade,
they replaced band leaders as the primary force in pop music in the USA.

SINGERS:
Bing Crosby; Frank Sinatra; Perry Como; Dinah Shore; The Andrews Sisters;
Frankie Laine; Mario Lanza; Tony Bennett; Dean Martin; Four Aces, Four
Freshman; Nat King Cole (after giving up jazz piano); Sammy Davis Jr; Eddie
Fisher; Doris Day; Johnny Ray; Jo Stafford; Dick Haymes; Patti Page; Kay
Starr (after she left jazz singing with Wingy Manone and Joe Venuti):
Rosemary Clooney (before she became a jazz singer in the 1990s); Judy
Garland; Joni James; Ernie Ford; Jeri Southern; Julius LaRosa; Andy
Williams; Teresa Brewer (after recording with the Dixieland All Stars); Pete
Seeger (and lots of other folkies)

Must be about 50 more but I ran out of memory. Together, the pop group
probably sold at least 10 times more records during the decade than jazz
did.

Geez, it was those damn singers that replaced jazz as America's popular
music. :-) VBG

Cheers,
Steve Barbone