Stardusters

The Stardusters

The Stardusters with May McKim about 1940. From left: Glen Galyon, Curt Purnell, Dick Wylder, and May McKim
Background information
Genres Vocal jazz
Labels Swan, Decca
Associated acts Charlie Spivak
Glenn Miller
Jimmy Dorsey
Jack Teagarden
Past members June Hutton (1920–1973)
Harry Glen Galyon (1914–1988)
Ira Curtis "Curt" Purnell (1911–1982)
Harry Richard "Dick" Wylder (1910–1963)
Maureen O'Connor
Helen O'Connell (1920–1993)
Irene Daye (1918–1971)

The Stardusters were American jazz vocalists.

History

The Stardusters were founded as a male trio in the mid 1930s. Glen Galyon, Curt Purnell, and Dick Wylder had already established themselves in 1936 as the Stardusters, and in 1939, were featured on NBC radio: The Vitalis Show, featuring George Jessel and his Celebrated Guests. They were also featured in late 1939 and early 1940 with Frank Novak and his Music Creators on the Chiclets program heard over NBC.

May McKim — who had been a singer with an orchestra when she met Curt Purnell, married him on August 10, 1936, in Boston, and settled down to a non-professional home life — eventually joined the trio as a permanent member sometime around 1939.[1] May and Curt divorced in August 1941.[2]

In 1941, Charlie Spivak hired the group, but added June Hutton. The arrangements featured Hutton backed by the trio. While with Spivak's Orchestra, the Stardusters recorded with Glenn Miller (1941), Jimmy Dorsey (1941), and Jack Teagarden and His Orchestra (1941). The group later went on to record with Billie Holiday (1948) and Stan Kenton (1957).

The Stardusters had two notable hits, Brother Bill, and This is no Laughing Matter. And, they sang backup for the Evelyn Knight's hit, A Little Bird Told Me, Decca Records, which became the subject of a landmark court case over covering.

Personnel

Also

† When Hutton left The Stardusters in 1944, Spivak brought in Gene Krupa's vocalist, Irene Daye, whom he later married.[4]

Selected discography

  1. Brother Bill
  2. Crystal Paradise
  3. Weekend In Havana
  4. I Surrender Dear
  1. What Happened, Joe?
  2. I Wasn't Born in Ireland
  3. Yes, Yes, Honey
  4. When You're Not There
Billie Holiday (vocal), accompanied by Bobby Tucker (piano), John Levy (bass), Denzil Best (drums), Mundell Lowe (guitar), The Stardusters (vocal quartet that included Johnny Eager, aka Johnny Parker)
W74650-A – Weep no More
W74651-A – Girls Were Made to Take Care of Boys
(other tracks did not include The Stardusters)

Filmography

Re-released by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (DVD) (2006); OCLC 63542807
Re-released by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (DVD) (2007); OCLC 859424016
Re-released by Mill Creek Entertainment (DVD) (2005); OCLC 182760657
Re-released by Mill Creek Entertainment (DVD) (2009); OCLC 688501088

References

  1. ↑ Earle Farris, Right Out Of The Air, Cleveland Gazette, September 16, 1939
  2. ↑ Arvilla May McKim, Petition for Naturalization
    Petitions for Naturalization
    U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, 1897-1944
    NARA Series: M1972
    Naturalization Record No: 394515
    Roll 1355
    Petition No 394600
  3. ↑ May was married to William John Woelfel when she died in Marathon, Florida
  4. ↑ Joe Conzo (Joseph A. Conzo, Jr., born 1963), David A. Pérez II, Mambo Diablo: My Journey With Tito Puente, Authorhouse (2012) OCLC 779528948 LCCN 2010-914344 ISBN 9781617130298 ISBN 9781452082813 ISBN 9781452082820 ISBN 9781452082837 ISBN 161713029X
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