The Washington times., 1938-07-01

they won't spoil my band"
CAN'T FIND SINGER
So the band continued rehears-
ing for three more weeks without
a vocalist. Finally, when it
looked like the right kind of
singer couldn't be begged, bor'
rowed or bought, Herbert ar
ranged a one-night tryout for
the band at the Ritz ballroom,
about a mile out of Bridgeport,
Conn.
The opening was not noised
much around town because it
was in the nature of a sneak
preview, but Biff had already
gotten so much publicity since
he'd left my band, that all OF
Broadway was anxious to see
what sort of an outfit he was
fronting.
The publishers and their
henchmen, the pluggers, were
there en- maSse because if Biff
clicked he would, of course, get
a network wire. And the booking
agents sent their scouts down;
WHEN SUCCESS ROLLS IN
For weeks now Biff had been
getting the glad hand and the
fulSome smiles from the music
publishers, the arrangers who
wanted to work for him, the
press agents who wanted to get
his account, the big booking exc
cutiveS.
The advertising agencies and
radio stations had their repre-
Sentatives there because if Biff
had the right kind of band,
with the publicity build-up he
had gotten, he would be a nat
ural for a cigarette commercial.
But Harriet had no inten-
tionS of being there. She wanted
to keep as far away from Bridge
port and Biff as she possibly
could. 1t was pride with her
now.
Or so it seemed. But Sammy
the drummer felt differently
about it. He came up to Edythe
Wright's apartment almost every
day, during his spare moments,
to follow Harriet's progress.
S mmy Stone was Harriet'S
most enthusiastic fan.
SAYS BIFF NEEDS HER
Harriet" he told her, you
oughter be there when Biff
preems. 1t amt right, I'm tellin'
you, He's gonna need all the
friends he's got that night"
mo, Sammy" she replied,
"the time isn't ripe YETI
1T couldn't be ripper, Harriet, :"
pursued Sammy sincerely. III
stack you against any warbler
in the country right now"
What do you think?" Harriet
turned to Edythe Wright.
Sammy knows what he's
talking about, Harriet"
Stone grinned. Its from the
old feedhag out, what I'm tell
ing you. LisSen, you don't have
to say nuthin' about it to no
body. Just sneak up there your
self. My brother Jake'l drive
you up. He's gotta bring a
coupla snareS for me. He'll drive
you up. Nice guy, my brother
Jake. He used to plug for Rob
bins. Lissen, kid, whatdya say?"
Harriet nodded "yes," very,
very slowly. You're hopeless,
Sammy"
BIFF NOT AT PREVIEW
At 9 o'clock everybody was
there. The vast ballroom was
jammed with fans from the
neighboring towns. And the
tables on the side were studded
with luminaries Of Tin Pan
Alley.
The mikes were set, loud.
speakers had been adjusted, the
men were sitting on the stands
with their music spread out be-
fore them, the colored lights
were flashing over the heads
of the customers-but no Biff
Harriet was sitting alone at a
table in the far corner Of the
ballroom. She sensed the ten
sion surrounding the event. Biff
should have been here hours
ago, getting everything set, run.
ming through the numbers with
the men, getting the "teel'
of the Ritz.
Again and again she looked
anxiously around the massive
room. Where was Biff?
The dancers were becoming
restless. Barry, co-owner of the
ballroom, was frantically max
ing the rounds Of the tables
hunting for HnE Herhert H(