The Revelers
Encyclopedia
The Revelers were an American quintet (four close harmony
singers and a pianist) popular in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The Revelers' recordings of "Dinah
", "Old Man River
", "Valencia
", "Baby Face
", "Blue Room
", "The Birth of the Blues
", "When Yuba Plays the Rumba on the Tuba", and many more, became popular in the United States and then Europe in the late 1920s.
All of the members had recorded individually or in various combinations, and formed a group in 1925. The original Revelers were tenors Franklyn Baur and Lewis James, baritone Elliot Shaw, bass Wilfred Glenn, and pianist Ed Smalle. Smalle was replaced by Frank Black in 1926. The group (with Black at the piano) appeared in a short movie musical, The Revelers (1927), filmed in the sound-on-disc
Vitaphone
process. This one-reel short film, recently restored by "The Vitaphone Project," shows the group performing "Mine", "Dinah", and "No Foolin'". A second short, filmed the same day with another three songs, awaits restoration.
Baur was replaced by Frank Luther and then James Melton
(later a Metropolitan Opera
tenor).
(1927–31). Ring Lardner
observed, "Under any name, they sound as sweet." Lardner outlined his "perfect radio program" for The New Yorker
magazine, and found a place for The Revelers along with Paul Whiteman
and Fanny Brice
.
They had a recording contract with Victor (later RCA Victor) but made extra money by moonlighting under pseudonyms for other labels (such as "The Singing Sophomores" on Columbia Records
and "The Merrymakers" on Brunswick Records
). An example of what The Revelers sounded like is "I'm Gonna Charleston Back to Charleston" on the CD "The Roaring Twenties" (ABC 838 215-2) from the series "Robert Parker's The Golden Years." The German group The Comedian Harmonists formed in 1927 after hearing some records of The Revelers.
The Revelers were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame
in 1999.
Close harmony
Close harmony is an arrangement of the notes of chords within a narrow range. It is different from open harmony or voicing in that it uses each part on the closest harmonizing note , while the open voicing uses a broader pitch array expanding the harmonic range past the octave...
singers and a pianist) popular in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The Revelers' recordings of "Dinah
Dinah (song)
"Dinah" is a popular song. The music was written by Harry Akst, and the lyrics by Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young. It was introduced by Eddie Cantor in Kid Boots in Pittsburgh...
", "Old Man River
Old Man River
Old Man River may refer to:* Mississippi River, U.S.* "Ol' Man River", a song from the musical Show Boat* "Old Man River ", a song by Reba McEntire from Unlimited* Old Man River...
", "Valencia
Valencia (song)
Valencia is a pasodoble song composed by José Padilla for the 1924 Zarzuela La bien amada and included in the 1926 silent film Valencia, with lyrics translated by Lucien Boyer, Jacques Charles, and Clifford Grey...
", "Baby Face
Baby Face (1926 song)
Baby Face is a popular song. The music was written by Harry Akst, the lyrics by Benny Davis. The song was published in 1926. That same year, Jan Garber had a number one hit with the song....
", "Blue Room
Blue Room (song)
"Blue Room" is a show tune from the 1926 Rodgers and Hart musical The Girl Friend, where it was introduced by Eva Puck and Sammy White.-Early recordings:...
", "The Birth of the Blues
The Birth of the Blues
"The Birth of the Blues" is a popular song.The music was written by Ray Henderson, the lyrics by Buddy G. DeSylva and Lew Brown. The song was published in 1926, and recorded by Cab Calloway in 1943 or 1944...
", "When Yuba Plays the Rumba on the Tuba", and many more, became popular in the United States and then Europe in the late 1920s.
All of the members had recorded individually or in various combinations, and formed a group in 1925. The original Revelers were tenors Franklyn Baur and Lewis James, baritone Elliot Shaw, bass Wilfred Glenn, and pianist Ed Smalle. Smalle was replaced by Frank Black in 1926. The group (with Black at the piano) appeared in a short movie musical, The Revelers (1927), filmed in the sound-on-disc
Sound-on-disc
The term Sound-on-disc refers to a class of sound film processes using a phonograph or other disc to record or playback sound in sync with a motion picture...
Vitaphone
Vitaphone
Vitaphone was a sound film process used on feature films and nearly 1,000 short subjects produced by Warner Bros. and its sister studio First National from 1926 to 1930. Vitaphone was the last, but most successful, of the sound-on-disc processes...
process. This one-reel short film, recently restored by "The Vitaphone Project," shows the group performing "Mine", "Dinah", and "No Foolin'". A second short, filmed the same day with another three songs, awaits restoration.
Baur was replaced by Frank Luther and then James Melton
James Melton
James Melton , a popular singer in the 1920s and early 1930s, later began a career as an operatic singer when tenor voices went out of style in popular music around 1932-35...
(later a Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
tenor).
Radio
The Revelers were stars on radio and in vaudeville, as well as in the recording studio. On radio they were regulars on The Palmolive HourThe Palmolive Hour
The Palmolive Hour was a critically acclaimed radio concert hour in the USA, sponsored by Palmolive Soap and broadcast on NBC from December 9, 1927 to July 29, 1931. The Palmolive Musical Stock Company offered a mix of jazz, show tunes and opera selections.The program usually opened with a duet by...
(1927–31). Ring Lardner
Ring Lardner
Ringgold Wilmer Lardner was an American sports columnist and short story writer best known for his satirical takes on the sports world, marriage, and the theatre.-Personal life:...
observed, "Under any name, they sound as sweet." Lardner outlined his "perfect radio program" for The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
magazine, and found a place for The Revelers along with Paul Whiteman
Paul Whiteman
Paul Samuel Whiteman was an American bandleader and orchestral director.Leader of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s, Whiteman's recordings were immensely successful, and press notices often referred to him as the "King of Jazz"...
and Fanny Brice
Fanny Brice
Fanny Brice was a popular and influential American illustrated song "model," comedienne, singer, theatre and film actress, who made many stage, radio and film appearances and is known as the creator and star of the top-rated radio comedy series, The Baby Snooks Show...
.
They had a recording contract with Victor (later RCA Victor) but made extra money by moonlighting under pseudonyms for other labels (such as "The Singing Sophomores" on Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
and "The Merrymakers" on Brunswick Records
Brunswick Records
Brunswick Records is a United States based record label. The label is currently distributed by E1 Entertainment.-From 1916:Records under the "Brunswick" label were first produced by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company...
). An example of what The Revelers sounded like is "I'm Gonna Charleston Back to Charleston" on the CD "The Roaring Twenties" (ABC 838 215-2) from the series "Robert Parker's The Golden Years." The German group The Comedian Harmonists formed in 1927 after hearing some records of The Revelers.
The Revelers were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame
Vocal Group Hall of Fame
The Vocal Group Hall of Fame was organized to honor outstanding vocal groups throughout the world. It is headquartered in Sharon, Pennsylvania, United States. It includes a theater and a museum....
in 1999.