For millions of Americans, Fred Waring's second Capitol LP release was the album of recorded Christmas Carols which defined the season musically in their households. Now you don't have to pull that old scratchy record out of the closet for this is the re-release of that recording. Fred Waring was born in Pennsylvania in 1900. He worked his way through college by singing and playing banjo in the group he and his brother Tom formed and called Banjazztra because they were a banjo jazz orchestra. After college they became a national touring success which led Fred into a radio presentation of his music, both instrumental and choral which had roots in collegiate glee club singing and their banjo jazz group. His radio popularity propelled him into being a Sunday Night Television visitor in millions of households In the fifties. Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians added dance and other visual embellishments to captivate the early TV audience but it was the popularity of his music which is his most lasting legacy. So here is one of the most listened-to Christmas recordings ever made. Half of the songs are accompanied while the others are the 'pure' choral work of this important group under Fred's direction. Merry Christmas!

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Called 'the man who taught America how to sing' Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians were a fixture on radio in the '40's and '50's and these 23 songs were recorded in 1949 and 1950 when at the height of their popularity. The group, including the instrumentalists, was over 50 members strong and sing beautifully some of the classic songs from the era. The arrangements were from some of the top choral arrangers in the country such as Roy Ringwold and Harry Simeone. A great trip down memory lane.

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It's hard to imagine having a career in music more sheer fun than Fred Waring's. Starting a banjo orchestra with his brother and friends while a student at Penn State University, the band did so well he had to choose between that and architecture, and chose music. By 1922 the 9-member band toured locally, growing to 11 members on their tour through Canada, playing snappy, fast-paced numbers. Success in the Detroit-Chicago area led to a Victor recording contract and 'Sleep,' their first smash hit. Movies (Harold Lloyd's 'The Freshman,' RKO's 'Syncopation,' the Broadway musical 'Hello, Yourself,' and Fred and the Pennsylvanians were a top box office draw on a level with Paul Whiteman's orchestra. Fred's own 1930 musical comedy 'Rah Rah Daze' became a smash on Broadway called 'The New Yorkers.' Millions tuned into his regular radio programs with the band and Waring's 'Glee Club,' from 1933 through the war years, finally ending in 1957. During this time he had a regular TV slot from 1947 to 1954 and a daytime show in 1957. Concert tours continued through the 1970s, finally playing at Reagan's inaugural in 1981. Finding time to invent the famous Waring blender, Waring died at Penn State, where it had all begun, in 1984. Included here are 24 upbeat, funny, fun tunes, all orchestrally accompanied, songs like 'Collegiate,' 'Does My Sweetie Do-And How!,' the title tune, 'Let Me Sing and I'm Happy,' H'lo Baby,' 'Red Hot Chicago,' 'Dancing in The Dark,' Irving Berlin's 'Let's Have Another Cup of Coffee' and 'I Say It's Spinach,' 'Fit as a Fiddle' and ending with their first hit, 'Sleep.' This is great stuff from a more innocent time, and plenty of it. Highly recommended.

In the early 1920s Fred Waring was a student at Penn State, where he formed Waring's Pennsylvanians (which featured a trademark glee club) who entered radio on pioneer station WWJ in Detroit. This generous, fascinating compendium of 24 (all accompanied) songs is from 1925 to 1928, a boom time of heady first success for the Pennsylvanians. Fred's amazing career as a bandleader stretched from the 1920s to the 1970s, enjoying his greatest success in the 1930s, appearing in many movies. These songs have the 'jazz age' manic optimism that fit so well in the backgrounds of early cartoons. This is feel-good, funny, tongue-in-cheek dance music with titles like 'Keep Sweeping The Cobwebs Off The Moon,' 'Don't Sing Aloha When I Go,' 'Syncopation Sal,' 'How About Me?,' 'What Do You Say?' and 'Any Ice Today, Lady?' (with a bit that sounds like Popeye singing to Olive). It's not possible to be in a bad mood while listening to a Fred do the vocals on a truly silly song like 'Bolshevik.' Great stuff, digitally restored and remastered!

Volume 2 of the Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians legend compendium features cuts from early 1929, the last months of the Flapper Era, through 1932, the first years of the Depression, but the time of some of Waring's greatest fame and success. The very soul of optimism, fun and silliness, the group was a hit performing in movie theatres, on the radio, on records and ultimately in the movies themselves later in the 30s. 'Broadway Years' features 24 (all accompanied) digitally restored and remastered songs from the Pennsylvanians in their prime: 'Button Up Your Overcoat,' 'Alma Mammy,' 'I Want To Be Happy,' 'Tea For Two,' 'Let Me Sing And I'm Happy,' 'Elizabeth,' 'Sing A Little Jingle,' 'Dancing In The Dark,' 'Let's Have Another Cup of Coffee,' 'I Say It's Spinach (And To Hell With It!)' and 'Well! Well! Well! Beautifully produced, funny, hip, smooth, always with a catchy 'hook' to sing along with-this is top-40 pop before there was such a thing. This series is fascinating on many levels and a joy to listen to!

From the cherished Christmas carol, the sincere warmth of the spiritual, the cheer of the drinking song, to the tenderness of the love song, Fred Waring was the delineator, the innovator, the voice and interpreter of the language of 1960s youth in song. This all-accompanied, 2 CD, 2-lp compilation, originally released on Reprise in 1964, tours the world's greatest popular love songs. Composers and authors of course include Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, the Gershwins, Hammerstein and Jerome Kern, and we have the contrast of the studio-recorded lp, 'To You Forever,' and the live 'In Concert' lp. The 11 songs on 'Forever,' smooth and sweet as you please: 'You Do Something to Me,' 'Embraceable You,' 'All of You' and 'All the Things You Are'Ðare listed in the dictionary under 'Romantic.' 'In Concert' features an intro to the audience by Fred, and is a lively collection, from folk tunes like 'Mr. Frog A Courtin'' and 'On Top Of Old Smokey,' spirituals like 'Joshua Fit de Battle of Jericho' and 'Battle Hymn of the Republic,' and show tunes like 'Hello, Dolly' to movie tunes like 'Chim Chim Cher-ee' and 'Supercalifragilisticexpialadocious' from 'Mary Poppins.' This is entertainment!

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Songs of patriotism and inspiration were always part of Fred Waring's broadcasts and stage shows. By popular request, Songs of Freedom was compiled from recordings in their collection. Selections include John Philip Sousa's 'The Stars and Stripes Forever,' 'Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor' from Miss Liberty by Irving Berlin and 'Battle Hymn Republic,' which was made popular by Roy Ringwald's arrangement and won a gold record. Also included is Fred Waring's 'love song for America,' 'My America.' Waring wrote the song for his bicentennial shows in 1975.

Tchaikovsky's beloved Nutcracker Suite is given a twist as performed by Fred Waring and the Pennslyvanians. Conceived by arranger Harry Simeone he combines the charming lyrics written by Jay Johnson, Frank Cunkle, Daisy Bernier and Fred Waring. The arrangement was debuted on October 27, 1947 on Waring's radio program for General Electric and recorded for Decca Records later that year. It has been delighting audiences ever since. The performance heard here was originally broadcast August 19, 1948.

Fred Waring and the Pennsylvannians are at it again,this time giving Christmas their one-of-a-kind flavor. The smooth choral textures they present on this album could warm the soul of any who love the christmas season. The album starts out with a powerful fade in of voices in 'Caroling, Caroling,' followed by a great arrangement of 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.' They continue with some more beautifuly performed traditional carols including 'White Christmas,' 'Oh Holy Night,' 'The Twelve Days of Christmas,' and a few others, then end with a warm and cozy arrangement of'Winter Wonderland.' This CD is a great pick for those looking for something they can relax to in frontof a fire on a cold winter's night.

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The stirring performance of timeless music continues to inspire and delight listeners and viewers of all ages. The Fred Waring Show, a groundbreaking musical variety show from the golden days of early television, ran from 1949 until 1954 and was nominated for two primetime Emmys. This DVD features the incomparable baritone Frank Davis as the preacher in a Waring fan favorite, God's Trombones, the stirring James Weldon Johnson narrative poem set to music by Roy Ringwald. Gertrude Jeanette is the prayer leader. In addition, you will find a selection of favorite spirituals and folk songs performed by Frank Davis and the Glee Club Frank Davis was a singer (bass) and soloist with Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians from 1952 - 1959, in 1962 and again from 1968-69. He was renowned as a spiritual and gospel singer, and in addition to performing with the Pennsylvanians, he did several solo concert tours.

For many years Waring and his Pennsylvanians entertained America with radio and tv broadcasts, as well as stage shows and a multitude of recordings. Culled from the Waring archives, the spontaneity and energy of these live recordings comes through from the first cut. Featured are famous Pennsylvanian soloists and the incomparable Waring Glee Club on these 21 wonderful (all big band accompanied) songs of Christmas. We can't really pick favorites here. The jazzy 'Jingle Bells' perhaps, or the Teen Trio's solo on 'Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer' that segues into manic sound-effect silliness.' Certainly the 'Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow Medley,' Frank Davis' soulful solo on 'One for the Little Bitty Baby,' and Jack Best and Gordon Goodman on 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.' Oh, and we have to include Jane Wilson's solos on 'Away In A Manger' and 'Cantique De Noel' (Oh Holy Night). The bottom line is, this is great, classic entertainment by, in our opinion, the premier choral organization of all time. Christmas music just doesn't get any better than this!

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