Kate Smith - On The Air (1930-1940)

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Kate Smith On The Air! Rare Radio recordings by "The Songbird of the South" from the 1930s and 1940s  Sandy Hook Records release #85 (1984)   SIDE A 01. The Kate Smith Hour - opening: Kerry Dances 02. Why Don't You Do Right? 03. These Foolish Things Remind Me of You 04. How About You? 05. Johnny Doughboy Found a Rose in Ireland 06. Coming In on a Wing and a Prayer 07. I'll Be Seeing You 08. How Are Things in Glocca Morra?  SIDE B 09. God Bless America as heard on "The Kate Smith Hour", CBS net, November 10, 1938, (the first time the song was broadcast). 10. I Surrender Dear 11. It Was So Beautiful 12. Small Fry 13. The White Cliffs of Dover 14. Blues in the Night 15. It's Been a Long, Long Time 16. September Song 17. God Bless America (a wartime broadcast).   Kate Smith from Greenville, Virginia was performing in a Washington D.C. vaudeville theater when she was "discovered" for a Broadway show in 1926. Two other shows followed, gaining her some fame, but mostly at the expense of her generous proportions. Along came Ted Collins in 1929, and the rest, as they say is history. He was an executive with Columbia, she was appearing on the stage with Bert Lahr. A recording contract soon followed, then a movie - "Big Broadcast of 1932" (see Sandy Hook #2007). By May of 1931 she had a 15 minute show 4 times a week on CBS - but opposite Amos 'n Andy! Surviving a seeming fate worse than the U.S. vice-presidency, she achieved enough popularity to stay on radio - which she proceeded to do until 1951! She then began a long career in TV!  In addition to having more hits than you could shake a tonsil at, and a reputation for successfully introducing many famous songs, she and Collins also became known for "spinning off" well known radio comedy favorites. "It Pays to be Ignorant" and "The Aldrich Family" were first heard on Kate's show, as were Abbott and Costello, Henny Youngman, Minerva Pious, and Shirley Booth as "Dottie Mahoney" (later "Miss Duffy" of "Duffys Tavern").  Her introduction of "God Bless America" by Irving Berlin nearly gave us a second National Anthem. It's heard for the very first time on this album, as well as a wartime version, one of the thousands of times she sang the song. Sandy Hook #2035 features a 1943 version she sang in the film "This is the Army.  Ted Collins was a partner, friend, announcer, producer, director and manager. They split Kate's fees 50-50 for over 30 years. They never had a written contract. Ted died in 1964. Kate's last regularly scheduled TV series was in 1960, and she was seen occasionally on talk and variety shows through 1975. Now in ill health and retired back to the South, Sandy Hook is proud to have "The Songbird" spread her wings and sing once again.  Michael Rophone 25 December, 1983   

Tracklist:

01. The Kate Smith Hour - opening - Kerry Dances
02. Why Don't You Do Right
03. These Foolish Things Remind Me of You
04. How About You
05. Johnny Doughboy Found a Rose in Ireland
06. Coming In on a Wing and a Prayer
07. I'll Be Seeing You
08. How Are Things in Glocca Morra
10. I Surrender Dear
11. It Was So Beautiful
12. Small Fry
14. Blues In The Night
15. It's Been A Long Long Time
16. September Song
17. God Bless America (a wartime broadcast)

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