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The Tune Twisters
Origin	Manhattan, New York, U.S. ––––––––––––––––––––
Died	Andy Love –      (1911-04-23)23 April 1911      Manhattan      8 July 1982(1982-07-08) (aged 71)      Greenacres City, Florida Robert Wacker –      (1909-11-09)9 November 1909       Manhattan      3 September 1985(1985-09-03) (aged 75)      Carlsbad, California Jack Lathrop –      (1913-05-11)11 May 1913      Sherburne, New York      30 January 2013(2013-01-30) (aged 94)      Stonington, Connecticut Gene Lantham –      (1915-11-07)7 November 1915      Lawrence, Kansas      18 October 1977(1977-10-18) (aged 61)      Los Angeles ––––––––––––––––––––
Genres	Swing jazz
Years active	1934–1946

The Tune Twisters were a jazz vocal trio founded in 1934 as The Freshmen by Andy Love (né Andrew Jackson Love; 1911–1982), Robert "Bob" Wacker (né Robert Norman Wacker; 1909–1985), Jack Lathrop (1913–1987), who also played guitar. They were featured on radio broadcasts and also recorded and performed with jazz artists that included (i) Ray Noble in 1935 (with Noble, the Tune Twisters were initially known as "The Freshmen"), (ii) Bob Crosby in 1935, (iii) Glenn Miller in 1937, and (iv) Adrian Rollini in 1938. The Tune Twisters performed in the 1937 Broadway production, Between the Devil, singing "Triplets." The production ran from December 22, 1937 to March 12, 1938 (93 performances). During the audition, the Tune Twisters were known as the Savoy Club Boys. Lathrop was a member of the Tune Twisters in 1938 when they recorded the first radio jingle of its kind for Pepsi – "Pepsi-Cola Hits the Spot" (aka "Nickel, Nickel"). Lathrop was replaced around 1940 by Gene Lanham (né Eugene Prentiss Lanham; 1915–1977). The trio also performed in two 1935 films, Sweet Surrender and Melody Magic, directed by Fred Waller.

Gene Lantham (né Eugene Prentiss Lanham; 1915–1977), in 1940, replaced Lathrop, who went on to become guitarist and vocalist with Glenn Miller.

History

Andy Love, Jack Lathrop, and Bob Wacker began singing as a trio around 1928 or 1929 while attending a prep school near New York. Lathrop attended college in New York and Wacker got a job. Around 1933, Love suggested – to Lathrop and Wacker – commercializing their trio. Their launch was unsuccessful, and love, discouraged, began singing as a soloist with Paul Whiteman. Eventually, the three auditioned for NBC Radio. After the audition, an NBC executive asked, "What do you call yourselves?" "You sure are some tune twisters." Love responded with a grin, "That's our name."

Timeline

• Around 1935: First perform on radio hosted by Ray Noble a guest artists after he discovered them in a Westchester County roadhouse nightclub, and continued to work with Noble until he moved to Hollywood to form a new until for the Burns and Allen programs. The trio subsequently performed in vaudeville on their own. They also performed with Fred Allen and Rudy Vallée hours.

• Between 1935 and 1938:

• 1938: Signed by NBC for the Jell-O Summer Series, starring Jane Froman and her husband, Don Ross (né Donald McKaig Ross; 1899–1971), with the Alfonso D'Artega Orchestra, broadcast nationwide, beginning July 4, 1938, on the NBC-Red Network radio. The show had previously been hosted by Jack Benny.

Andy Love

• Andy Love (né Andrew Jackson Love; 1911–1982) was born to the marriage of Andrew Jackson Love (1861–1948), a physician, and Anita Florence Hemmings (né Annie Williamson Hemmings; 1872–1960). Love attended the Horace Mann School until around 1937, then transferred to the Mount Herman School in Northfield, Massachusetts, graduating around 1930. He entered the University of Wisconsin where he studied pre-medicine for two years (1930 and 1931). Around 1934, he was a vocal soloist with Paul Whiteman, a jingle writer, member of the Tune Twisters, and music producer. After his singing career, He became one of the directors of Amos 'n' Andy, The Bob Burns Show, and The Dunninger Show.

Andy Love and his two siblings — (i) Ellen Parker Love (1905–1995), who in 1934 married Charles Beckinton Atkin (1906–1987) and (ii) Barbara Hope Love (1907–2007), who in 1930 married William B. Hurt (1908–1964) — were born to parents who were socially prominent, well-educated New Yorkers. And they passed as whites. But, technically they were black. To that end, in an era of strict segregation, Andy and his siblings were raised as privileged, affluent, well-educated whites. His sister, Ellen, graduated in 1927 from Vassar College. Andy's ethnicity was not publicly divulged during his lifetime.

Around 1942, Love sang with Kay Thompson's Okays, her backup chorus.

Love was TV producer of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Andy Love became a national renowned radio producer. Under his direction, from 1951 to 1973, performances from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival were broadcast nationally on NBC radio.

Kay Thompson: From Funny Face to Eloise, by Sam Irvin, Simon & Schuster

Jack Lathrop

• Guitarist and vocalist with Glenn Miller.
• 1935–1940: Guitarist and vocalist with the Tune Twisters (aka the
• Vocalist with Hal Mcintyre in 1942
• Jack Lathrop and the Drugstore Cowboys

The songs Lathrop composed were published by Cecille Music, John McLaughlin, president; Anthony Gallucio, Vice President

In 1948, Lathrop, as vocalist and leader of the Drugstore Cowboys, recorded a duet with Eve Young, "My Darling, My Darling."

Michael Grove

Cecille Music Company., Inc. (ASCAP)

Murray Michael Productions

Republic Records

1674 Broadway

Carol Wood

Dale Wood (pseudonym)

Bob Wacker

Bob Wacker (aka Bob Walker; né Robert Norman Wacker; 1909–1985). In 1936, Wacker became a singer for the Bob Crosby Band, replacing Frank Tennille.

Filmography

• Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, singer

Gene and Dorothy Lanham

Gene Lanham (né Eugene Prentiss Lanham; 1915–1977), around 1942, replaced Jack Lathrop when he joined Glenn Miller. He was married, until they divorced in 1947, to Dorothy Lanham (né Dorothy Dee McCarty; 1917–2015), who was also a singer, notably of the McCarty Sisters, which incluced (i) Frances Catherine McCarty (1911–1963), (ii) Irene Sarah McCarty, (iii) and Jewell Faye McCarty – as well as (iv) Gene Lanham and Ban Lake. The McCarty Sisters traveled throughout Europe singing as the Swingtette with the Jack Hylton Orchestra.

Gene and Dorothy Lanham, and also Robert Wacker, sang as members of the Ralph Brewster singers on Frank Sinatra's 1957 recording, "Mistletoe and Holly."

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Lanham served on the board of the Los Angeles chapter of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists

Filmography

• Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Gene Lanham, singer

The Andy Love Four

The Andy Love Four performed on air around from about 1944 to about 1948 as guest artists of various hosts, including the Lyn Murray Show. Johnny Smedberg (né John Henry Smedberg; 1911–1979), born-and-raised in Coos Bay, Oregon, replaced Gene Lanham, who was serving in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II.

• To coincide with the 1944 re-release of the 1937 Disney film Snow White, Decca, that same year, released a Disney album by the same name featuring:

• The Andy Love Four, with Evelyn Knight performed "Bluddle-Uddle-Um-Dum"

• Harrison Knox flourished as a singer on the radio beginning around 1931 until about 1950. Around 1944, he was known as a regular featured tenor with on a weekly radio program hosted by Paul Lavalle (1908–1997) with Jacques Gasselen (né Jacques Albert Marie Gasselin; 1899–1972) conducting the Stradivari Orchestra. Jack Costello (né John Patrick Costello; 1908–1983) was the announcer. Under the name, William Chester, her performed on the Bourjois program.

• Evelyn Knight,
• Elizabeth "Betty" Mulliner (née Elizabeth Josephine Mulliner; 1905–2002), married in 1928 to Hartford Conn Taylor (1905–1963)
• Audrey Marsh (stage name of Audrey Monk; née Audrey Lois Zellman; 1911–2009), and
• the Lyn Murray Orchestra

Jazz theory

The three-part harmony of the Tune Twisters, in the mid-1930s, was a relatively new way of achieving a jazz sound without a fourth voice. To that end, for producers, it was more economical. Chord structure of three-part jazz harmony typically omits the fifth (dominant) (that makes up a triad) in favor of the minor seventh. A fourth voice would allow traditional jazz harmony to become modern, still omitting the fifth, but adding extensions (9th, 13ths, flats, diminished, and so on). During the 1030s, a more traditiona barbor-shop quartet style commonly achived a traditional jazz sound by adding minor 7ths, but less commonly ommitted the dominant note in favor of extensions.

(See Vocal harmony – barbarshop quartets)

In the 1930s, jazz harmony was more common in barbar-shop quartet style was not common.

Works

Radio (1930s)

• NBC
• 1940–1942: WOR; Ramona and the Tune Twisters – broadcast three times a week; sponsored by R&H Brewing Company – Rubsam & Hormann Brewing Co., found by Joseph Rubsam and August Horrmann in Staten Island. The sponsor was known for its theme song sang by the Tune Twisters, the "R&H Beer Song" (©1941), composed by Clarence Gaskill.

Jingles

• 1938:

Pepsi-Cola Jingle (see also Sensory branding)

"Pepsi-Cola Hits the Spot" (aka "Nickel, Nickel")

Pepsi-Cola hits the spot,

Twelve full ounces, that's a lot,

Twice as much for a nickel, too,

Pepsi-Cola is the drink for you,

Nickel, nickel, nickel, nickel,

Trickle, trickle, trickle, trickle . . .

(word for word; needs re-writing): Composed by British-born Austin Herbert Croom-Johnson (commonly known as "Ginger"; 1910–1964) from the melody of an old English hunting song, "D'ye ken John Peel," with lyrics written by Chicago-born Alan Bradley Kent (né Karl Dewitt Byington, Jr.; 1912–1991). This was one of the earliest "singing commercials" on a national basis. It was written in 1939 for the now defunct Newell-Emmett advertising agency and was originally performed by a vocal trio called The Tune Twisters, composed of Andy Love, Gene Lanham, and Bob Walker. Even though it has often been referred to as the first singing commercial, there had been several others prior to 1939, such as the one for Barbasol and the tunes sung by The Happiness Boys for their various sponsors.

See discussion of Alan Bradley Kent, here

It is said that the commercial aired over 1.5 million times

Broadway

• 1937: Between the Devil, singing "Triplets," December 22, 1937 – March 12, 1938 (93 performances); during the audition, the Tune Twisters were known as the Savoy Club Boys

Selected audio

• 1935 NBC Radio, "Love Makes The World Go 'Round," music by Dana Suesse, lyrics by Edward Heyman from the 1935 film, Sweet Surrender

Selected discography

• The Tune Twisters

"Pardon My Southern Accent," Johnny Mercer & Matty Malneck (w&m)

matrix 38617

"I Saw Stars," Al Hoffman, Al Goodhart, Maurice Sigler (w&m)

matrix 38648

Recorded September 13, 1934, New York

Decca (matrix 38617)

• "By the Great Horn Spoon," Will Hudson, Eddie DeLange, Irving Mills (w&m)

"Here Come the British," Johnny Mercer & Bernard Hanighen (w&m)

Decca 233 (matrix 38647)

Recorded September 13, 1934, New York

• Victor Young and His Orchestra

Hal Burke, vocal

The Tune Twisters

"Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart," James F. Hanley (w&m)

Recorded March 21, 1935

Decca 426

• Victor Young and His Orchestra

Featuring Hal Burke and the Tune Twisters

"She's a Latin from Manhattan," by Harry Warren (music) & Al Dubin (words)

From the 1935 film, Go Into Your Dance

Decca 418 A

(audio via YouTube)

• Johnny Green and His Orchestra, with Marjory Logan (vocalist) and the Tune Twisters

The songs:

John W. Green Medley - "I Cover The Waterfront," James Dyrenforth (w&m)

"I'm Yours" (Tune Twisters)

"Body And Soul"

"I Wanna Be Loved" (orchestra)

"What Now?" John W Green (music) & James Dyrenforth (words), featuring Marjory Logan (vocalist) and the Tune Twisters

"Not Bad," John W. Green (music) & James Dyrenforth (words), featuring Marjory Logan (vocalist) and the Tune Twisters

"Sweet Sue, Just You," Victor Young (music), Will J. Harris (words) (orchestra, featuring the saxophone section)

Musicians: 2nd pianist (and arranger), Dave Terry

From Melody Magic, musical film directed by Fred Waller

(audio via YouTube)

• The Decca All Star Revue – 2 two-part productions:

Recorded January 15, 1935, New York

Part One: "You're the Top," Cole Porter, from Anything Goes

Decca 345 A

Part Two: "You're the Top"

Decca 345 B; matrix 39253

Recorded May 20, 1935, New York

Part One: "Way Back Home," Tom Waring, Al Lewis (w&m)

Decca 473 A; matrix 39529

Part Two: "Way Back Home"

Decca 473 B; matrix 39530

• "Lord and Lady Whoozis," Jack Hylton and His Orchestra

Jack Hylton (leader); George Swift (1911–1985), Jimmy Raynolds, George Taylor (trumpet); Wilbur Hall, Bruce Cambell, Jack Bentley (trombone); Benny Daniels (né Benjamin Daniels; born abt. 1912), Sid Millward (né Sidney Millward; 1909–1972) (alto sax, clarinet); Freddy Schweitzer (né Friedrich Wilhelm Schweitzer; 1907–1950) (tenor sax, clarinet); Jim Easton (né William Easton; born abt. 1908) (alto sax, bari sax, clarinet); Danny Walters, Les Maddox (né Leslie Coupe Maddox; born abt. 1905), Andre Budegary (pseudonym of Earnest Lewis; died 2003) (violin); Dave Burnan (piano); Danny Parri (guitar); George Lyons (harp); Andre de Vekey (né Andre Edward George de Vekey; 1918–1995) (bass); Jack Commings (drums, vibraphone); The Swingtett: Ben Late, Gene Lanham, Francis McCarthy, Jewl McCarthy, Dorothy MaCarthy (vocals)

Recorded in London, 13 May 1937; OEA 4791-1 - Electrola EG–6110 (audio and alternate audio via YouTube)

• "Love Makes The World Go 'Round," Dana Suesse (music), Edward Heyman (lyrics), from the 1935 film, Sweet Surrender

• Adrian Rollini His Quintet

Bobby Hackett (cornet); Adrian Rollini (vibes, xylophone); Frank Victor (né Francesco Viggiano; 1897–1970) (guitar); Harry Clark (bass); Buddy Rich (drums); Sonny Schuyler (vocals)

Recorded June 23, 1938, New York

Side A: 23147-2: ("How to Make Love In") "Ten easy Lessons"

(© 24 August 1938) Harry Bailey (né Harry Preston Bailey; 1909–1984) and Doris Fisher (w&m)

Side B: 23148-1: "Small Fry," from the 1938 film, Sing, You Sinners

(© 10 May 1938) Frank Loesser (words), Hoagy Carmichael (music)

Vocalion 4212

Discogs reference

Matrix / Song / Label and catalog no.

23148-2: "Small Fry" (ttt vcl) Retrieval (E)RTR79046 [CD], Doctor Jazz (Du)DJ-010-I-II [CD]

23149-1: "I Wish I Had You" (ttt vcl) Voc 4257, Tax (Swd)m-8036

(© 8 June 1938) Bud Green (words), Albert Stillman (words), Claude Thornhill (music)

23149-2: "I Wish I Had You" (ttt vcl) Retrieval (E)RTR79046 [CD]

23150-2: "On the Bumpy Road to Love" (ttt vcl) Voc 4257, Tax (Swd)m-8036

(© 21 June 1938) Al Hoffman, Al Lewis, Murray Mencher (de) (1898–1991) (w&m)

• Victor Salon Orchestra, Nathaniel Shilkret (conductor)

"Shine On, Harvest Moon," Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth (w&m), Anita Boyer (1915–1984) (soprano), with the Tune Twisters

Recorded June 5, 1940

Victor BS-051230

"Hello, 'Frisco!"

Victor BS-051232

Recorded June 5, 1940

• "Triplets," Howard Dietz (words); Arthur Schwartz (music); from Between the Devil

Liberty Music Shop L-224; matrix 21876

• Evelyn Knight with The Tune Twisters (the Tune Weavers; Michel Ruppli's "The Decca labels: a discography," Greenwood Press, 1996); orchestra directed by Bob Haggart

Side A: "It's My Lazy Day," Smiley Burnette (w&m); (© 19 October 1944; E published 127229)

Matrix 73578

Side B: "My Fickle Eye," Ray Gilbert, Sidney Miller (w&m); (© 2 April 1946; EU15520)

Matrix 73577

Decca 18902

Recorded May 17, 1946

Notes and references

References

Category:20th-century American singers

Category:20th-century American women singers

Category:American musical trios

Category:Decca Records artists

Category:Musical groups established in 1933

Category:Musical groups from New York City

Category:Musical trios

Category:Traditional pop music singers

Category:Vocal trios