Glenn Henry (band leader) explained

Glenn Alby Henry Jr.
Birth Name:Glenn Alby Henry, Jr.
Birth Date:29 August 1915
Birth Place:Terril, Iowa
Death Place:Santa Barbara, California
Genre:Big band
Occupation:Band leader
Instrument:Clarinet, alto sax, vocals
Years Active:1935–1970
Label:Miltone
Associated Acts:Glen Henry and His Orchestra

Glenn Henry (sometimes billed as Glen Henry; né Glenn Alby Henry, Jr.; 29 August 1915 Terril, Iowa – 29 July 1993 Santa Barbara, California) was an American band leader of a popular West Coast big band bearing his name, "Glenn Henry and His Orchestra."

History

General Henry's orchestra, a 14 and sometimes 15-piece group, flourished between 1935 and the 1950s, and featured various female solo vocalists and the Quintones. Henry fronted his band as a clarinetist, saxophonist, and vocalist.

Before World War IIHenry's band was initially based out of Pocatello, Idaho – while he was a student at Idaho State University beginning 1934, studying to be an engineer. The band's first major commercial engagement was in 1935 at the Old Faithful Lodge at Yellowstone National Park. The band received high acclaim and returned to Yellowstone for five consecutive seasons. In 1936, at the Pocatello High School Senior Ball, his orchestra was called "Glenn Henry and His Idahoans." Henry eventually moved to the Los Angeles area. In late 1942, Henry's Orchestra performed throughout the Pacific Coast on a USO tour.

In the fall of 1942, Henry's Orchestra was designated a Coca-Cola Spotlight Band; and, on December 25, 1942 — midway through a 13-week engagement in Seattle — 15 minutes of a live performance by the band, from Fort Lewis, Washington, was broadcast over the Blue Network as part of the longest show in radio history, and most widely aired, featuring what then was deemed the best big bands in the country — 43 bands from 43 locations, coast-to-coast.

During World War IIRCA presented a touring contract and eventual record contract to Henry in 1942. After embarking up the first few dates, Henry was drafted thus putting a halt to the tour and eventual recording contract. For two-and-one-half-years during World War II, Henry served in the U.S. Army ground forces with the 96th Infantry Division band as band leader.
After World War IIAfter the war, Henry received an honorable discharge and re-organized his band in Los Angeles. In 1946, Henry's Orchestra regularly broadcast under the tag line, "For Those Who Prefer Music." In the late 1960s, Henry became an independent booking agent for bands, operating under the name "Glenn Henry Entertainment Agency." Henry maintained that avocation until shortly before his death in 1993. Henry's performing career endured after the decline of big bands in the 1950s, leading combos through the 1970s, featuring his wife on vocals, performing mostly local engagements and special events, in and around Santa Barbara. Harry Johnson, his pianist, became the office manager with the Glenn Henry Entertainment Agency.

Bookings on the East Coast for Glenn Henry's Orchestra were rare. However, the Glenn Henry Orchestra made its debut east of the Mississippi in a moonlight performance aboard the S.S. Bear Mountain showboat on June 13, 1949. The boat had been rented by Congress for that night.

In 1959, Henry's quartet — composed of the same personnel that recorded the 1964 album featuring his wife, Shades of Cherie — completed a 33-week engagement at the Windsor Hotel in Bermuda. From about 1958 to 1960, Henry led a quartet at venues such as Harrah's Lake Tahoe and Harrah's Reno.

In 1969, when the Seabees put on a 27-year anniversary celebration attended by over 4000 naval and civilian personnel at the Naval Construction Battalion Center at Port Hueneme, the entertainment was provided by the Glenn Henry Orchestra and popular USO entertainers Joy Wilkerson (née Gladys Joy Wright; 1930–2011) — actress and Playboy Bunny — as well as "Honey Ltd.," a female vocal quartet, and "The Party of Four," another female vocal quartet.[1]

Style

Beginning around the late 1940s, Henry's orchestra had over 300 arrangements.

Impressions in RhythmAfter World War II, Henry's arranger, pianist, and vocalist Bill Dixon arranged recognizable vignettes of hummable classical works and adopted the tag line, "Impressions in Rhythm." Dixon, one of the original members in Henry's new band after World War II, explained that the "Impressions" were melodic classical works set to pleasant dance tempos. The arrangements included Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto, Debussy's Clair de Lune, Debussy's Afternoon of a Faun, Massenet's Elegie, Rubinstein's Kamennoi Ostrow, Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2, Addinsell's Warsaw Concerto, Chopin's Fantaisie Impromptu, and Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.

General repertoireHenry's dance orchestra repertoire was diverse and included a full-range of swing arrangements, but performance sets typically leaned toward popular songs and danceable music in a sweet genre, close to Glenn Miller, but sweeter, but not as sweet as Jan Garber or Lawrence Welk. Henry's orchestra had enough original compositions and arrangements that distinguished it with its own sound and style. In other words, his bands throughout the years could not be characterized as mostly a cover band.

Selected band alumni

Vocalists
Trumpets
Trombones
Saxophones, woodwinds
Rhythm section
Original members
1941 Members
Manager
Booking

----In 1952, eight members of the band, including vocalist Cherie Lynn, attended three Long Beach high schools at the same time and played together at all the proms and balls.

Random dates

Selected discography

Glen Henry Orchestra
  • Miltone Records, 78 rpm

    • 5253 A: "So In Love," by Cole Porter, Maxine Elliott, vocalist

    5253 B: "Three Little Words," by Kalmar and Ruby

    5255 A: "Bongo Minor," arranged by Bill Dixon, Swede Meredith (né Howard Bradley Meredith; 1924–2003), percussion soloist

    5255 B: "Why Can't You Behave?" by Cole Porter, Maxine Elliott, vocalist

    5258 A: "Why Can't You Behave?" by Cole Porter, Maxine Elliott, vocalist

    5258 B: "Yes, I'm In Love," by Harvey Brooks — Joe Alexander and Glenn Henry Orchestra, Joe Alexander, vocalist

    5265 A: "Envy," sung by Roy Cordell (né Roy Leadbetter Cordell; 1925–1994) with Studio Orchestra (Glenn Henry is not credited on this track)

    5265 B: "Snow Shoes," by Johnson, Meredith, and Henry

    Other labels

    A: "Envy," performed by Roy Cordell and Studio Orchestra (Glenn Henry is not credited on this track)

    B: "Bongo Minor," arranged by Bill Dixon, Swede Meredith (né Howard Bradley Meredith; 1924–2003), percussion soloist

    Recorded in 1964 in Hollywood, California

    Produced by Glenn Henry

    Personnel: Cherie Lynn (née Cherie Lou Christensen, Glenn Henry's wife; 1932–2007), vocalist on 1–7; Glenn Henry, clarinet and alto sax; Harry Johnson (né Harold Johnson), piano; Jim Marquard (né James William Marquard; 1929–2008), bass and trombone on 12; Harry Smallenburg (né Harry Russell Smallenburg; born 1942), drums

    Original LP released by Breeze Records

    LP re-released in Japan in 1995 Breeze / Norma NLP 5514, Japan (mono)

    Re-released as a CD on March 23, 2011, AMJ Jazz Collection, manufactured by Absorb Music Japan, Inc. (Absorb ABCJ-627), distributed by King Records Co., Ltd.

    Side 1

    1. "Day In Day Out," by Bloom & Mercer
      1. "Angel Eyes," by Brent & Dennis "Happiness is a Thing Called Joe," by Arlen & Harburg
    2. "Early Autumn," by Herman, Burns & Mercer
    3. "Old Devil Moon," by Lane & Harburg
    4. "Baubles, Bangles, & Beads," by Forrest & Wright
    5. "Scarlet Ribbons," by Danzig & Segal

    Side 2

    2. "Take Me Out To The Ball Game"
    3. "The Breeze and I," by Lecuona
    4. "Street of Dreams"
    5. "Serenade in Blue," by Gordon & Warren
    6. "Our Love is Here To Stay," by Gershwin
    7. "I Loves You, Porgy," by Gershwin

    Family

    Henry, born in Iowa, moved with his family to California when he was one. Before Henry had turned four, his family had moved to San Bernardino, California. By the time he was five, his family was living in Pocatello, Idaho. His father, Glenn Alby Henry, Sr. (1890–1950), had been a telegraph operator and, from 1934, worked for Union Pacific and an agent, moving to Victor, then to Blackfoot, Idaho. Glenn, Jr., was married three times:

    References

    Inline citations

    Notes and References

    1. "Seabees Observe 27th Anniversary," Press-Courier, Vol. 32, No. 252, March 9, 1969, pg. 1
    2. "Glenn Henry Begins 10th Week," Seattle Daily Times February 2, 1943, pg. 11

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