Jackson advocate., 1953-05-02
TheatricaIIy
Yours

NEW YORK (GlobaD Herb
Kenny's MGM recording of "Star
Spangled Dawn" without a doubt,
will establish him as "hit" top
artist. This heavy number is sub
lime and the Fred Norman ar
rangement is superb. "S tar Span.
gled Dawn" is making a big bid to
become the world anthem. It's all
about "when all the world is free"
The Swallows King Records YER
sion of Laugh" is steadily creep
ing up in sales throughout the
country and should shortly move
up to the top best sellers
Watch for Joe Medlin to break
into big time with a certain major
label b. Sarah Vaughn clicked
at Broadway's Birdland. Now she
is successfully headlining the show
at Harlem's Apollo Theatre, while
Erskine Hawkins and his great
band are sharing top billing. Hawk
Is as great as ever.
Charlie Fuqua and his Inkspots
just completed a most successful
run at Toronto's swank Colonial
Club. They are now the toast of
Canada and they are fast becoming
the toast of America. The group
is now back in town recording for
Victor Records, Fuqua having re-
ceived his release, along with that
of Bill Kenny, from Decca. Fuqua
and Kenny were relieved of their
"42,OOC a year contract, paving the
way for Fuqua to record under the
name Of the Inkspots. However,
Kenny was signed to a new con-
tract by Decca at a figure reported
to be much lower than the old one.
Both men will still receive record
royalties from Decca on the old
lnkSpots material.
Steve Gibson and his Redcaps
at PHILIPS Rendezvous, with pretty
wax doll singer, Damito 10 e.
MGM recording artist, Billy Eek
stine's "Coquette" is about to hit
the million mark in sales .. joyce
Bryant racked up a solid gross at
the Town and Country Club in
Brooklyn, with more than 1.4O0
customers attending on April
MGM recording artist, Joni James,
clicked at the State Theatre in
Hartford, Connecticut, last week
And, MGM songstress, Jilla
Webb has been held over at The
Palms in Columbus, Ohio =. Harry
Belafonte is sick with a throat
ailment>. Bette McLaurin wax
ing of an the Middle of a Kiss"
IS honey.
This writer caught Bill Kenny's
opening night at Broadway's Band
box Club last week, and in my
opinion, Kenny has slipped. Things
apparently haven't gone we'll with
Kenny since Charlie Fuqua split
with the group and formed his own
lnkspots Damita- 10 is one
pretty Negro singer who can really
sing . Herb Kenny just did an
other recording session for MGM
Records, with the very capable
Fred Norman doing the arrange
ments and conducting the orches-
ira for the session.
The Ella Fitzgerald, Woody Her
man, frankie Laine, Dusty Fletcher
concert at Carnegie Hall, a huge
success Singer Bike Crawford
has left the Basic band Sarah
McLawlor's hubby has bought her
a 1858 specially made Lincoln Con-
tinental, as surprise gift. Rumor
IS that she left him before she
received it Sonny Thompson's
band clicking on the road Ace
alto man, Johnny Hodges setting
all records with his grand ork on
the West Coast.
Sugar Chile Robinson has been
added to the cast of "The Record
Show as a record replacement for
Nat Cole, who was forced to with
draw from the Gale Agency road
unit because of illness. The line
up now consists of Sarah Vaughn.
the Billy May Orchestra, Sugar
Chile Robinson, Gil Lamb, Stuffy
Bryant, and Harrison and Miller.
Cole was hospitalized before he
had chance to appear with the
show on April at Carnegie Hall.
His condition is improving in a
New York hospital.