Saxie Dowell
Encyclopedia
Horace Kirby "Saxie" Dowell (May 24, 1904-July 22, 1974) was an American jazz
and pop music bandleader
and singer and songwriter
.
Dowell was born in Raleigh, North Carolina
and attended the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill where he met Hal Kemp
. He joined Kemp's orchestra as a reed player (tenor saxophone, clarinet, and flute) and vocalist in the fall of 1925. Dowell composed "I Don't Care" which was recorded by Kemp for Brunswick in 1928. When the band's style changed in the early 1930s to that of a dance band, Dowell became the group's comedic vocalist. He wrote "Three Little Fishes" in 1939, which became a smash hit, and was embroiled in lawsuits due to charges of plagiarism. Due to the success of the song, Dowell left Kemp that same year and organized his own band. In 1940 he wrote the popular song "Playmates." During World War II
he served heroically in the navy aboard the ill-fated aircraft carrier UU Franklin (CV13). Around 1946 he led a naval air station
band, with the then 14 year old Keely Smith
as a singer. After the war he reorganized his orchestra and got some good bookings, mostly around the Chicago area, appeared in a short and made a few recordings for the Sonora label. He became a disc jockey for Chicago radio station WGN
around 1949.
Saxie Dowell's song credits include "I Don't Care", "Your Magic Kisses", "Three Little Fishes", "Playmates", "The Canasta Song", "Tonight I'm Thinking Of You", "All I've Got Is Me", and "Turnabout is Fair Play".
He retired in the 1960s and moved to Scottsdale, Arizona
.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and pop music bandleader
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
and singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
.
Dowell was born in Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
and attended the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill where he met Hal Kemp
Hal Kemp
James Harold "Hal" Kemp was a jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader, composer, and arranger. He was born in Marion, Alabama and died in Madera, California following an auto accident...
. He joined Kemp's orchestra as a reed player (tenor saxophone, clarinet, and flute) and vocalist in the fall of 1925. Dowell composed "I Don't Care" which was recorded by Kemp for Brunswick in 1928. When the band's style changed in the early 1930s to that of a dance band, Dowell became the group's comedic vocalist. He wrote "Three Little Fishes" in 1939, which became a smash hit, and was embroiled in lawsuits due to charges of plagiarism. Due to the success of the song, Dowell left Kemp that same year and organized his own band. In 1940 he wrote the popular song "Playmates." During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he served heroically in the navy aboard the ill-fated aircraft carrier UU Franklin (CV13). Around 1946 he led a naval air station
Naval Air Station
A Naval Air Station is a military airbase, and consists of a permanent land-based operations locations for the military aviation division of the relevant branch of their Navy...
band, with the then 14 year old Keely Smith
Keely Smith
Keely Smith is an American jazz and popular music singer who enjoyed popularity in the 1950s and 1960s. She collaborated with, among others, Louis Prima and Frank Sinatra.-Career:...
as a singer. After the war he reorganized his orchestra and got some good bookings, mostly around the Chicago area, appeared in a short and made a few recordings for the Sonora label. He became a disc jockey for Chicago radio station WGN
WGN (AM)
WGN is a radio station in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is the only radio station owned by the Tribune Company, which also owns the flagship television station WGN-TV, the Chicago Tribune newspaper and Chicago magazine locally. WGN's transmitter is located in Elk Grove Village, Illinois...
around 1949.
Saxie Dowell's song credits include "I Don't Care", "Your Magic Kisses", "Three Little Fishes", "Playmates", "The Canasta Song", "Tonight I'm Thinking Of You", "All I've Got Is Me", and "Turnabout is Fair Play".
He retired in the 1960s and moved to Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
.