It Was The Best of Musical Times Quiz

Answer: Maxine

Singing sisters were big business in 1940s America. As well as The Andrews Sisters there were The Boswell Sisters and The Macguire Sisters, and this trend eventually spread across to the UK and produced The Beverley Sisters and The Kaye Sisters. The Andrews Sisters were probably the best known with songs such as "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree" and "Rum and Coca-Cola".

They also made 17 films and often performed with other people such as Bing Crosby, Les Paul, Glen Miller and Carmen Miranda.

Answer: Paul Whiteman

Paul Whiteman was known as "The King of Jazz", and his orchestra starred in a film of that name. While many dance bands of the era had ten or fifteen members he regularly had around 35 musicians, who, at various times, included such subsequently well known people as Jack Teagarden, Bix Beiderbecke and Joe Venuti.

He commissioned Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue", and for his entire career sought out and encouraged up and coming musicians. Bing Crosby sang with him as part of a trio called the Rhythm Boys, and it was his singing with this group that helped launch his solo career. Billie Holiday and Paul Robeson both recorded with him, but the racial segregation of the times meant he never had any black musicians in his orchestra.

Answer: The Ink Spots

The Ink Spots first formed in the mid 1930s, but early record releases were not successful. A change in personnel, and increased exposure and popularity thanks to radio and personal tours, led to them being signed by Decca, and then the hits started to come.

Their best known in the United Kingdom is probably "Whispering Grass". Their vocal style and rhythm were a precursor of the doo-wop groups that followed

Answer: Mario Lanza

Born in America of Italian descent Mario Lanza had a wonderful tenor voice. Toscanini once described him as "the greatest voice of the 20th century". His first singing role was in "The Merry Wives of Windsor" in 1942, but then the war intervened and he appeared only in troop shows until his de-mob in 1945. Between then and 1947 he appeared across America in concerts, and debuted in opera in "Madame Butterfly" at New Orleans Opera House. On 1947 he signed to MGM on a seven year contract.

He made some wonderful films for MGM including "The Great Caruso", but unfortunately his love of food led to weight problems which caused disputes with MGM.

He died aged 39 of a heart attack, possibly caused by a controversial weight loss programme he had been following.

Answer: Pal Joey

Set in 1930s Chicago, "Pal Joey" premiered in December 1940 and was the first starring role for a young Gene Kelly. Featuring a sleazy night club dancer with dreams of owning his own club, it featured some wonderful songs such as "I Could Write A Book" and "Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered".

When it was later made into a film with Frank Sinatra the nightclub dancer was changed to a nightclub singer.

Answer: Stardust

"Stardust" was written in 1927 by Hoagey Carmichael. "How High The Moon" was written in 1940 by Nancy Hamilton and Morgan Lewis. The best known version is probably by Les Paul and Mary Ford. "Every Time We Say Goodbye" is a 1944 Cole Porter song made famous by Ella Fitzgerald and "Come Rain or Come Shine" is a Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer composition written for the 1946 musical "St Louis Woman".

Answer: 1944

In 1944 Glenn Miller obtained permission to take The Army Air Force Band to Britain to entertain US troops serving there. They arrived in summer and over the course of the next few months gave some 800 performances, and also did a recording session at Abbey Road Studios for the Office of War Information. On December 15 Glenn Miller took off for Paris to arrange to entertain the troops who had recently liberated France.

His plane disappeared somewhere over the English Channel.

Answer: Chopin

Perry Como was another crooner of the 1940s who started his career with one of the many big bands of the 1930s, in his case Ted Weems. When the band dissolved in 1942 Como signed for CBS, but had no success. He was about to give up singing when NBC stepped in and signed him for their radio show "Chesterfield Supper Club".

This brought him national recognition, and in 1945 "Till The End of Time" became his first major hit. According to "Joel Whitburn's compilations of the U.S Pop Charts" Perry Como was the first artist to have ten records sell more than one million copies each.

Answer: Judy Garland

After the success of "The Wizard of Oz" Judy Garland became one of MGM's biggest stars, a fact that they did not hesitate to fully exploit. 1941 saw her change from teenager to adult actress when she starred in "Me and My Gal" alongside Gene Kelly, and in 1944 came "Meet Me In St Louis" which contained "The Trolley Song" and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas". Vincente Minnelli directed, and he and Judy were soon in a relationship. they married in June 1945, and their daughter, Liza Minnelli, was born in March 1946

Answer: Bobby soxers

Frank Sinatra began his musical career singing with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey. By the mid 1940s he had become a successful solo singer, His fans were called bobby soxers after the ankle socks most of the young girls wore. Although his career took a bit of a dip when Rock and Roll came on the scene he soon recovered, recording for Capitol and producing classic albums such as "Songs for Swinging Lovers" and "The Wee Small Hours".

He also forged a successful serious acting career, as well as appearing in many film musicals.