Newspapers / Jones County Journal (Trenton, … / Jan. 28, 1954, edition 1 / Page 4
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•08 Rie Record’ By t'AKL UAUUlUi MB. “B” Is tbs title bestowed upon Billy Beks tine. She popular negro vocalist, and rightly sol The fabulous Eckstlne has out a notch in the Music Americana Hall of Fame that will long be there, i want to tell you about two of his latest numbers but first let me tell you a little about Mr “B” Tiimmlf BILLY ECKSTINE WAS BORN in Pitsburgh, Pa., and did his first singing chore at a church bazaar when he was 11 years (rid. He didn’t’ sing again un til he was 18 years old and that was at Washington, D. C.’s How. ard Theatre in a talent show. From the ages of 11 to 18 he was busy at football rather thanOlee Club work. His family had mov ed to the Capital City and lat er he moved back to his home town and did some singing in ■nail slabs there. He was on the way but rather slowly, /S ? BILLY ECKSTINE la 1830, he hit the big time •with an engagtoent'iikVthe fa-, mous Chicago nlte club ‘Club De Lisa.” It was at this same club two years later that Earl Hines, bandleader, heard him and hir ed him. Bliiy; stayed with the Utthd kr lOmYHUW Hines nana lor rour years ana gained quite a following. The following was not confined tc the theatre dates but to reci ords too. Becoming a “personality” with a definite future cut out for him he finally decided to go out on • his own. The war came along with the 20 per cent amusement g tax and fans stopped going to the clubs of high prices. Sing ers weren’t In demand so Billy used jhe old noodle and came up with a dance band. Naturally he was the featured -male vocal ist. Billy also took a few lessons from some of the men he lead and came up playing the trom bone. If you can get some of these old Bckstlne orchestra plat ters you’ll hear Billy on some instrumental solo work. In 1044 Billy took the band through the South and it ms slightly sensational grossing some one hundred thousand dol lars in a Short period of Just ton weeks. Then came the devoted fan dubs and Eckstlne fast Was becoming a musical legend. The running of a band became quite a strain and Billy dropped it and went out again on his own. This time he really went to the top fast. He’s been there ever since. His records have sold in the millions and never fail to click. Songwriters clamor to get the great Mt. “B” to warble their tunes, since the thinking is that If Billy sings it it’s going to be a hit. (This has proven to be true in about 87 per cent of the eases thus far). He is now rated in. .the top three male vocalists in the nation and consistently stays in the top five. i met Billy when be appeared here in Kinston with Ruth Brown and Count Basie. He is a likable sort of a fellow that doesn’t seem to have been af fected ter his fame and fortune. He’s ready to talk about any i thing to anybody and you have the feeling that here Is a great musician and vocalist with the humility that so many, in his po sition, seem to have lost some where along the way, IBs latest numbers on M-G-M are I’M IN A MOOD and RENDEZVOUS. The Nelson Riddle band backs him on the former side and the Li onel Newman band on the lat ter. Both are typical Eckstlne records and both are wen worth a listen. His fans will “go” for these two fine numbers. You«an get it by droping in at your'to Army C*]>t. Needham P. Mew-, born, 31, of Ridley Park, Pa., recently received the Commend ation Ribbon for meritorious service in Korea. Captain Mew born, who arrived In the FUr East last July, has been serv ing a a liaison officer with the Korean Military Advisory Group, which offers counsel to the Republic of Korea Army in all phases of training and com bat. A 1946 graduate of the C. S. Military Academy, West Point, Captain Mewboni is the son of Mrs. Ronald D. Mewbom of Route 1, Kinston. His wife, Eleanor, lives at 111 N. Swart more Ave., Ridley Park. (V. S. Army Photo) cal diskery and asking for M G-M 55656. THE GASH BOX is one, of three, radio trade magazines and is followed very closely by the members of this profession. The other two are VARIETY and BILLBOARD. I would like to pass along some info from the Cash Box that I think will be interesting to you. This year that magazine held it’s annual poll. Disc Jockeys and musi cians voted on the most pop- i ular male, female, hfHWlly and ' sacred singers as well as hands, , mombos and albums. In the female category it was JONI JAMES, of MGM, edging out PATTI PAGE, of Mercury, by some 2,152 votes, as the most popular female vocalist of 1953. Jonl had a total of 61,275 while Patti had a total of 58423! Quite a stride for a youngster in the business against a seasoned per former like Miss Page! Joni’s latest is I’LL NEVER ft ■w, ”,: ' Montymfertilizer; ' ■r-;:;:*$*, 'te*v;i Nou? I’m I put * little in the dirt, __I ,r,;, t t» , iibvy But 90t:*m6Hgb to sav* Mf shut. S-D Fettilim *nd ia the right STAND IN YOlJR WAY and YOU’RE MY EVERYTHING the latter being a revival. Cash Box also reports that HANK WH> LIAiMS IS STOLL HAILED AS THE KING OF THE COUNTRY MUSIC FIELD, (fie died on New Year'* Day in 1853.) This Is undoubtedly the first time that a man who has been dead dead for better than a year has held down the top spot in rec ord popularity. That’s it for this weak. TIRES WILLIAMS TIRE STORE " 1% Miles East of Kinston on ' us?# WHOLESALE and BRAIL WHEN YOU NEED Ambulance Service CALL Garner’s Funeral Home Dial 2124 Ambularifce Equipped With Oxygen For Emergency Use •COURTEOUS ATTENDANTS” LOVELY LAMPS FOR EVERY ROOM Many More To Choose From HEEJ6-LEV1NE OF KINSTON INC. An Important Notice For Tobacco Growers We Are Distributors for D-D Nematode Control The success of D-D in boosting yields and making high grade tobacco in 1953 Ms resulted in unprecedented de mand .tjbis seaon. This increased, demand is sure to be greater than the supply!! It is advisable to place your orders early. ■ -• D-D KILLS NEMATODES If you’ve had trouble with root knot in the past, now is the time to put a stop to it. D-D, a liquid fumigant, is ■easy to apply with simple tractor attachment or by gravity-flow equipment—can be used in row or broad cast—and it is economical too!! Pays for itself many times over with increased yields of better aualitv tobac We would appreciate your order for D-D, also for Hy brid Seed<x>m, Seed soybeans, quality baby chicks, poul try suppfies, insecticides, and those quality N ,0. 1C .Feeds and Fertilisers. _ ; - ^ v B
Jones County Journal (Trenton, N.C.)
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Jan. 28, 1954, edition 1
4
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