The Tune Twisters was an American jazz vocal trio founded in 1934 as The Freshmen by Andy Love, Robert "Bob" Wacker, and Jack Lathrop, who also played guitar. They were featured on radio broadcasts and recorded with jazz artists that included (i) Ray Noble in 1935 (with Noble, the Tune Twisters were initially known as "The Freshmen"), (ii) Bob Crosby in 1935, (iii)

Glenn Miller Alton Glen "Glenn" Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944) was an American big band conductor, arranger, composer, trombonist, and recording artist before and during World War II, when he was an officer in the United States Army Air Forces ...

in 1937, and (iv)

Adrian Rollini Adrian Francis Rollini (June 28, 1903 – May 15, 1956) was an Americans, American jazz instrumentalist, multi-instrumentalist who primarily played the bass saxophone, piano, and vibraphone. He is also known for playing novelty instruments such ...

in 1938. The Tune Twisters performed in the 1937 Broadway production, '' Between the Devil,'' singing "Triplets." The production ran from December 22, 1937, to March 12, 1938 (93 performances). During the audition, the Tune Twisters were known as the Savoy Club Boys. Lathrop was a member of the Tune Twisters in 1939 when they recorded the first radio

jingle A jingle is a short song or tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. Jingles are a form of sound branding. A jingle contains one or more hooks and meanings that explicitly promote the product or service being advertised, usually ...

of its kind for

Pepsi Pepsi is a Carbonated water, carbonated soft drink with a cola flavor, manufactured by PepsiCo which serves as its flagship product. In 2023, Pepsi was the second most valuable soft drink brand worldwide behind Coca-Cola; the two share a long ...

– " Pepsi-Cola Hits the Spot" ''(aka'' "Nickel, Nickel"). The trio also performed in two 1935 films, '' Sweet Surrender'' and ''Melody Magic,'' the latter directed by Fred Waller. Gene Lantham, in 1940, replaced Lathrop, who went on to become guitarist and vocalist with

History

Andy Love, Jack Lathrop, and Bob Wacker began singing as a trio around 1928 or 1929 while attending a prep school near New York. Lathrop attended college in New York and Wacker got a job. Around 1933, Love suggested – to Lathrop and Wacker – commercializing their trio. Their launch was unsuccessful, and Love, discouraged, began singing as a soloist with

Paul Whiteman Paul Samuel Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was an American Jazz bandleader, composer, orchestral director, and violinist. As the leader of one of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s and early 193 ...

. Eventually, the three auditioned for NBC Radio. After the audition, an NBC executive asked, "What do you call yourselves?" "You sure are some tune twisters." Love responded with a grin, "That's our name." The Tune Twisters made their radio broadcast debut in 1935 as guest artists on a show hosted by Ray Noble, who discovered them in a Westchester County roadhouse nightclub. They continued to work with Noble until he moved to Hollywood to form a new until for the Burns and Allen programs. The trio subsequently performed in vaudeville on their own. They also performed with Fred Allen and

Rudy Vallée Hubert Prior Vallée (July 28, 1901 – July 3, 1986), known professionally as Rudy Vallée, was an American singer, saxophonist, bandleader, actor, and entertainer. He was the first male singer to rise from local radio broadcasts in New York Ci ...

hours. In 1938, the Tune Twisters signed with NBC to perform the for the ''

Jell-O Jell-O (stylized in all caps) is an American brand offering a variety of powdered gelatin dessert (fruit-flavored gels/jellies), pudding, and no-bake cream pie mixes. The original gelatin dessert ( genericized as jello) is the signature of ...

Summer Series,'' starring Jane Froman and her husband, Don Ross ''(né'' Donald McKaig Ross; 1899–1971), with the Alfonso D'Artega Orchestra. NBC's Red Network (radio) broadcast the show nationwide, beginning July 4, 1938. The show had previously been hosted by Jack Benny.

Members

* :: Love was one of three children born to Andrew Jackson Love, M.D. (1861–1948), and Anita Florence Hemmings ''(née'' Annie Williamson Hemmings; 1872–1960). * * :: * :: Gene re-married, on June 18, 1947, in Los Angeles, to Miriel Eloise King ''(maiden;'' 1917–2001). Dorothy re-married, on December 17, 1947, in

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

, to Andy Love. :: Gene Lanham and Dorothy Lanham – under the name Dorothy Lanham – and also Robert Wacker, sang as members of the Ralph Brewster singers on

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...

's 1957 recording, " Mistletoe and Holly." In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Lanham served on the board of the Los Angeles chapter of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Lanham remarried – on June 18, 1947, in Los Angeles – to Miriel Eloise King ''(maiden;'' 1917–2001). *

Selected broadcasts

Radio (1930s)

* 1940–1942: WOR; Ramona and the Tune Twisters – broadcast three times a week; sponsored by R&H Brewing Company – Rubsam & Hormann Brewing Co., found by Joseph Rubsam and August Horrmann in

Staten Island Staten Island ( ) is the southernmost of the boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County and situated at the southernmost point of New York (state), New York. The borough is separated from the ad ...

Jingles

* 1938:

Pepsi-Cola Pepsi is a Carbonated water, carbonated soft drink with a cola flavor, manufactured by PepsiCo which serves as its flagship product. In 2023, Pepsi was the second most valuable soft drink brand worldwide behind Coca-Cola; the two share a long ...

Jingle A jingle is a short song or tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. Jingles are a form of sound branding. A jingle contains one or more hooks and meanings that explicitly promote the product or service being advertised, usually ...

(see also '' Sensory branding)'' : "Pepsi-Cola Hits the Spot" ''(aka'' "Nickel, Nickel") : The commercial, reportedly, aired over 1.5 million times

Broadway

* 1937: '' Between the Devil,'' the Tune Twisters sang "Triplets," December 22, 1937 – March 12, 1938 (93 performances); during the audition, the Tune Twisters were known as the Savoy Club Boys

Selected filmography and discography

Filmography

* The Tune Twisters performe
"Love Makes The World Go 'Round,"
in the 1935 film, '' Sweet Surrender'' – music by Dana Suesse, lyrics by Edward Heyman

Discography

* The Tune Twisters : :

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38617 : :

38648 : Recorded September 13, 1934, New York : Decca (

38617) * The Tune Twisters : : : Decca 233 (

38647) : Recorded September 13, 1934, New York * Victor Young and His Orchestra : Hal Burke, vocal : The Tune Twisters : : Recorded March 21, 1935 : Decca 426 * Victor Young and His Orchestra : Featuring Hal Burke and the Tune Twisters : : From the 1935 film, '' Go Into Your Dance'' : Decca :
audio
''via''

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) * Johnny Green and His Orchestra, with Marjory Logan (vocalist) and the Tune Twisters : The songs: : : "I'm Yours" (Tune Twisters) : " Body and Soul” : "I Wanna Be Loved" (orchestra) : : : : Musicians: 2nd pianist (and arranger), Dave Terry : From ''Melody Magic,'' musical film directed by Fred Waller :
audio
''via''

) * The Decca All Star Revue – 2 two-part productions: : Recorded January 15, 1935, New York : Part One: " You're the Top,"

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became Standard (music), standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway the ...

, from '' Anything Goes'' : Decca : Part Two: " You're the Top" : Decca ;

39253 : Recorded May 20, 1935, New York : : Decca ;

39529 : : Decca ;

39530 * Tune Twisters : : Side A: "Triplets" : Side B: "I'm Against Rhythm" :
audio
''via''

) : * ''

His Quintet'' : : Recorded June 23, 1938, New York : :: (© 24 August 1938) Harry Bailey ''(né'' Harry Preston Bailey; 1909–1984) and Doris Fisher (w&m) : :: (© 10 May 1938)

Frank Loesser Frank Henry Loesser ( "lesser"; June 29, 1910 – July 28, 1969) was an American songwriter who wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway theatre, Broadway musicals ''Guys and Dolls (musical), Guys and Dolls'' and ''How to Succeed in Business ...

(words),

Hoagy Carmichael Hoagland Howard "Hoagy" Carmichael (November 22, 1899 – December 27, 1981) was an American musician, composer, songwriter, actor, author and lawyer. Carmichael was one of the most successful Tin Pan Alley songwriters of the 1930s and 1940s, a ...

(music) : Vocalion 4212 :
Discogs reference
: : :: (© 8 June 1938) Bud Green (words), Albert Stillman (words), Claude Thornhill (music) : : :: (© 21 June 1938)

Al Hoffman Al Hoffman (September 25, 1902 – July 21, 1960) was an American song composer. He was a hit songwriter active in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, usually co-writing with others and responsible for number-one hits through each decade, many of wh ...

, Al Lewis, Murray Mencher (de) (1898–1991) (w&m) * Victor Salon Orchestra, Nathaniel Shilkret (conductor) : : Recorded June 5, 1940 : Victor BS-051230 : "Hello, 'Frisco!" : Victor BS-051232 : Recorded June 5, 1940 * : :

Matrix Matrix (: matrices or matrixes) or MATRIX may refer to: Science and mathematics * Matrix (mathematics), a rectangular array of numbers, symbols or expressions * Matrix (logic), part of a formula in prenex normal form * Matrix (biology), the m ...

73578 : :

73577 : Decca 18902 : Recorded May 17, 1946

Notes and references

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tune Twisters, The 20th-century American singers American musical trios Decca Records artists Musical groups established in 1933 Musical groups from New York City Traditional pop music singers Vocal trios