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Category: 1940s
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Vera Lynn
About Dame Vera Margaret Lynn was an English singer and entertainer whose musical recordings and performances were very popular during World War II. She is honorifically known as the “Forces’ Sweetheart”, having given outdoor concerts for the troops in Egypt, India and Burma during the war as part of the Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA).…
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Dizzy Gillespie
About John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy Eldridge but adding layers of harmonic and rhythmic complexity previously unheard in jazz. His combination of musicianship, showmanship, and wit made him a leading popularizer of…
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The Ink Spots
About The Ink Spots were an American vocal pop group who gained international fame in the 1930s and 1940s. Their unique musical style predated the rhythm and blues and rock and roll musical genres, and the subgenre doo-wop. The Ink Spots were widely accepted in both the white and black communities, largely due to the…
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Art Tatum
About Arthur Tatum Jr. was an American jazz pianist who is widely regarded as one of the greatest ever. From early in his career, fellow musicians acclaimed Tatum’s technical ability as extraordinary. Tatum also extended jazz piano’s vocabulary and boundaries far beyond his initial stride influences, and established new ground through innovative use of reharmonization,…
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Hank Williams
About Hiram King “Hank” Williams was an American singer-songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century. Williams recorded 55 singles that reached the top 10 of the Billboard Country & Western Best Sellers chart, five of which were released posthumously, and 12 of…
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Woody Guthrie
About Woodrow Wilson Guthrie was an American singer-songwriter and composer who was one of the most significant figures in American folk music. His work focused on themes of American socialism and anti-fascism. He inspired several generations both politically and musically with songs such as “This Land Is Your Land”. Albums/Songs: No significant albums found. Call…
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Artie Shaw
About Artie Shaw was an American clarinetist, composer, bandleader, actor and author of both fiction and non-fiction. Albums/Songs: Free for All Four Star Favorites Begin the Beguine Begin the Beguine More Last Recordings CD Diamond Series: 16 Top Tracks Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson, Artie Shaw And Their Orchestras The 1930’s – Volume 1 It Goes…
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Glenn Miller
About Alton Glen “Glenn” Miller was an American big band conductor, arranger, composer, trombone player, and recording artist before and during World War II, when he was an officer in the US Army Air Forces. His civilian band, Glenn Miller and His Orchestra were one of the most popular and successful bands of the 20th…
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Bill Monroe
About William Smith Monroe was an American mandolinist, singer, and songwriter, and created the bluegrass music genre. Because of this, he is often called the “Father of Bluegrass”. Albums/Songs: The Essential Bill Monroe & The Monroe Brothers 16 Gems The Best of Bill Monroe Bill Monroe’s Greatest Hits Father & Son Road of Life Bill…
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Bing Crosby
About Harry Lillis “Bing” Crosby Jr. was an American singer, actor, television producer, television and radio personality, and businessman. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. Crosby was a leader in record sales, network radio ratings, and motion picture grosses from 1926…