MUSICAL DECADES - 1940s - Boogie-Woogie

This week I'd like to take you back to the 1940s again, this time to listen to some toe-tappin', boogie-woogie music.

Boogie-woogie is a musical genre that became popular in the late 1920s, but developed in African American communities in the 1870s. It was eventually extended from piano to piano duo and trio, guitar, big band, country and western, and gospel.

"Pinetop's Boogie Woogie" by Pinetop Smith was recorded in 1928 and first released in 1929. Smith's was the first boogie-woogie recording to be a commercial hit, and helped establish "boogie-woogie" as the name of the style. It was closely followed by another example of pure boogie-woogie, "Honky Tonk Train Blues" by Meade Lux Lewis, first released in March 1930.

The boogie-woogie fad lasted from the late 1930s into the early 1950s, and made a major contribution to the development of jump blues and ultimately to rock and roll, epitomized by Fats Domino, Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis. Louis Jordan is a famous jump blues musician.

Thomas Francis "Tommy" Dorsey, Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the Big Band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing", because of his smooth-toned trombone playing.

Tommy Dorsey's band recorded an updated version of "Pine Top's Boogie Woogie" renamed "Boogie Woogie" in 1938, which became a hit in 1943 and 1945. It became the swing era's second best seller, (second only to Glenn Miller's "In the Mood").

Wilbur Schwichtenberg (July 12, 1912 – July 15, 1989) was also an American trombonist and bandleader. He performed under the name Will Bradley. He was known for swing and sweet dance music, as well as boogie-woogie music.

The Will Bradley orchestra had a string of boogie hits such as the original versions of "Beat Me Daddy (Eight To The Bar)" and "Down the Road a Piece", both 1940, and "Scrub Me Mamma With A Boogie Beat", in 1941.

"Cow Cow Boogie" was written for, but not used in, the 1942 movie Ride 'em Cowboy. This song by Benny Carter, Gene DePaul, and Don Raye successfully combined boogie-woogie and Western, or cowboy music. The lyrics leave no doubt that it was a Western boogie-woogie.

“Cow Cow Boogie” sold over a million records in its original release by Ella Mae Morse and Freddie Slack and his orchestra, and has now been recorded many times.

The Andrews Sisters were an American close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne (July 6, 1911 – May 8, 1967), soprano Maxene (January 3, 1916 – October 21, 1995), and mezzo-soprano Patricia "Patty" (February 16, 1918 – January 30, 2013).

Throughout their long career, the sisters sold well over 75 million records. Their 1941 hit "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" can be considered an early example of rhythm and blues or jump blues.

And now to end our boogie-woogie journey, let's listen to the youngest player. Frank Isaac Robinson (born December 28, 1938), known in his early musical career as Sugar Chile Robinson, is an American jazz pianist and singer who became famous as a child prodigy.

At an early age, he showed unusual gifts singing the blues and accompanying himself on the piano. According to contemporary newsreels, he was self-taught and used techniques such as hitting the keys with his elbows and fists. He won a talent show at the Paradise Theatre in Detroit at the age of three, and in 1945 played guest spots at the theatre with Lionel Hampton. In 1946 at age 8, he played for President Harry S. Truman at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, shouting out "How'm I Doin', Mr. President?"–which became his catchphrase–during his performance of "Caldonia".