For half a century, Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians played “the sweetest music this side of heaven.” At least that’s how the bandleader himself described the sound of his orchestra, which scored over 200 hits between the late 1920s and the early 1950s and sold more than 100 million records. In fact, the Canadians’ music was too sweet for most “serious” jazz devotees, who didn’t appreciate Lombardo’s “cornball” style any more than they later would accept that of Lawrence Welk, whose own sound was largely based on Lombardo’s. However, even the band’s detractors had respect for the skill and musicianship of Lombardo’s players, which was so great that Louis ARMSTRONG once named the Canadians his favourite band.
Lombardo was born on June 19, 1902, in Ontario, Canada. He formed his first band in 1920 with brothers Carmen—who led the reed section, composed, sang, and was Guy’s musical director—and lead trumpeter Lebert. Another brother, baritone sax player Victor, joined later. (Guy played violin, but never with his orchestra.) After a few relatively unsuccessful years in its native country, the band crossed the border and moved to Cleveland, Ohio. It was here that they took the name Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians.
In 1927, the Royal Canadians relocated to Chicago, where they soon began to broadcast on radio. The band quickly developed its characteristic sound: smooth, sweet, and mellow. Another of the band’s trademarks was the multisong medley—a device Lombardo originated so that he could fit into his set all the requests he received. In 1929, the band changed its base to New York’s Roosevelt Hotel, where it performed regularly—and was heard nationally on radio—until 1963.
The Canadians also began to record for RCA Victor (and, later, Columbia, Brunswick, and Decca) and, throughout the 1930s and 1940s, had one success after another. Their first major hit was “Charmaine,” which reached No. 1 on the charts in 1927. This was followed by “Sweethearts on Parade” (1928), “Little White Lies” (1930), “Boo Hoo” (1937), “Penny Serenade” (1939), and “Easter Parade” (1947). The title most associated with Lombardo, though, was “Auld Lang Syne,” which was played on the Canadians’ New Year’s Eve radio and TV broadcasts, and became a favourite even with millions who did not otherwise follow the band.
Although Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians were best-known for their predominantly lilting arrangements, the band was capable of livelier work. Examples include “Winter Wonderland” with the ANDREWS SISTERS (1947), and their 1950 version of the theme from the film The Third Man, which was to prove the Canadians’ last big hit. Lombardo continued to work, however, and didn’t stop making music until shortly before his death on November 5, 1977.
While the Canadians are now seen as unfashionably middle-of-the-road, the band, in their time, had a remarkably broad appeal. Their music crossed racial boundaries, and one of their performances set an attendance record at Harlem’s Savoy Ballroom. Guy, so staid on stage, wasn’t all he appeared to be either: in his spare time, he was a trophy-winning speedboat racer. Although Lombardo is now viewed with derision by some jazz historians, the huge popularity and commercial success he achieved in his lifetime assured his position as one of the century’s best-loved bandleaders.
Terry Atkinson
SEE ALSO:
BIG BAND JAZZ; DANCE MUSIC.
FURTHER READING
Kressley, David, and Charles Garrod. Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians (Zephyrhills, FL: Joyce Record Club Publications, 1995);
Lombardo, Guy, with Jack Altshul. Auld Acquaintance: An Autobiography (New York: Doubleday, 1975);
Richman, Saul. Guy: The Life and Times of Guy Lombardo (New York: RichGuy Publishing, 1978).
SUGGESTED LISTENING
16 Most Requested Songs; The Best of Guy Lombardo; Every Night Is New Year’s Eve; The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven.