Vaughn De Leath - Are You Lonesome Tonight (1927)

Vaughn De Leath (1894 - 1943) was a famous female radio jazz singer who gained popularity in the 1920s and became known as "The Original Radio Girl" and "First Lady of Radio". She was also one of the early crooners.

She was born as Leonore Vonderlieth in the midwestern town of Mt. Pulaski, Illinois in 1894. Her parents were George and Catherine. At age 12, she moved to Los Angeles with her mother and sister, where she finished high school and studied music. While at Mills College, she began writing her own songs, but later dropped out to pursue a singing career. Later she changed her name to Vaughn De Leath.

De Leath's vocals ranged from soprano to deep contralto and easily adapted to the Jazz and radio age in the 1920s. Her first break was in January of 1920 when the inventor Lee DeForest brought her to his studio in New York City's World Tower. Vaughn De Leath sang "Swanee River", in a cramped room, and most of her listeners were only equipped with crystal radio. This was said to be the first live singing broadcast, although some modern historians now question this.

By 1921, in the formative years of commercial radio, she began singing at WABC (AM)WJZ, then in Newark NJ, which was later known as WABC in New York City. She had also performed on the New York stage in the early to mid 1920s, but radio became her first love, and she made a name for herself as a radio entertainer. In 1923, she became one of the first female executives to run a radio station, WDT in New York City, where she also performed. In 1922 she had begun recording on different labels, including Edison Records. In 1928, she appeared on an experimental television broadcast and later became a special guest for the debut broadcast of Voice of Firestone Radio Hour.

Her obituary in the New York Times incorrectly said she was 42 when she died, but she was actually 48. Prior to her death, which occurred in Buffalo, she had considerable financial difficulty, complicated by the drinking problem which contributed to her early death. Her ashes were buried in her childhood home of Mt. Pulaski IL.

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Bob Haring was an American popular music bandleader of the 1920s and 1930s.

Haring held a contract with Cameo Records and recorded 78rpm records under a plethora of orchestra names, such as The Caroliners, The Lincoln Dance Orchestra, The Society Night Club Orchestra, King Solomon and His Miners, and The Colonial Club Orchestra, in addition to his own Bob Haring & His Velvetone Orchestra. Cameo was a label known for its murky business practices, which included releasing cover versions of hits for other Cameo artists on subsidiary labels.

Haring's discography is difficult to trace, since many of the sides he performed on do not actually list his name. However, several dozen sessions on which Haring led or arranged an orchestra have been catalogued by discographers, mostly falling between 1920 and 1931. His recordings with The Colonial Club Orchestra were his most popular.


Vaughn De Leath, Bob Haring and the Colonial Club Orchestra - Are You Lonesome Tonight (1927) Brunswick Panatrope 3673

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Vaughn
• De
• Leath
• Bob
• Haring
• 1927
• 20's

[bearcub410]

this speaks to me more than any of the music of today could ever do . born too late thank you so much , she is a gem in the heavens

[stealth132365]

If you don't like the music, please don't leave nasty comments or personal attacks. It's incredibly rude, and ruins it for the rest of us. Thanks!

[apocyldoomer]

Awesome..the roaring Twenties..I'd like to time travel to that era for 1 month and party hardy with those muthas..what a blast that would be..than one day..the PARTY ceased to exist THE DEPRESSION, which will happen again, only WORSE this time around

[272LBCRT25]

Nice.



[canabalcarrots09]

I think my favorite thing about the old music is the sound of the record. It gives it such a warm sound. Or maybe I'm just old fashioned.. beautiful music!

[clawerj]

There is not much in this world that is new this is refreshing ty for posting

[Cinchona]

Wow, I never realized how unoriginal all those 1950s and '60s recording artists were. Music really went downhill after 1949.

[frsdonahue]

I was born too late, also. They don't call me 'the spirit of the 20s' for nothing!!

[MsPlayfulspirit]

oh, EmmtGinn i LOVE that movie, alice krige is nicely creepy

[11Kralle]

YES!!! The very enchanting absence of any samples, drum-computer-track or gizmoesque-gadgets everybody uses today.