Wayne King & His Orchestra
A popular 30s bandleader, Wayne King has been compared to Lawrence Welk and Fred Waring. Known as the "Waltz King," his repertoire was made up of waltzes, novelty songs and sentimental recordings. The sound was copied by other musicians and made Wayne King famous. It was radio broadcasts, such as the Lady Esther Serenade, his Victor recording contracts and performances on Chicago's Aragon Ballroom that sold millions of recordings for Wayne King. Besides being a successful bandleader, Wayne King was also a saxophonist, often playing his instrument in the Wayne King Orchestra.
Born in Savannah, Illinois, Wayne King began taking saxophone lessons in his teens. A member of the big band generation, he was interested in such bandleaders as Benny Goodman, Count Basie and Glenn Miller. Some of his fellow musicians of the big band era had a big effect on the style and sound Wayne King used in his orchestra. Musicians such as Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong influenced his work.
Wayne King began recording for RCA/Victor records in 1929. Most of his hits did not become popular until the mid-30s, early 40s. The songs had a slow, dreamy style, sounds that people could easily dance to. Some of the more popular favorites included "Josephine" in 1937, "Dream A Little Dream Of Me," "Intermezzo" and "I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)." Although his hits became popular because of the orchestra's nightclub venues, many of the songs were featured on different radio shows. Wayne King chose "The Waltz You Saved For Me" to be the band's theme song, played frequently at the beginning or the end of a gig.
He recorded several albums and songs for the RCA label. In 1965 the album, The Best of Wayne King, was released and featured such waltz hits as "Melody of Love," "Embassy Waltz," "I Could Have Danced All Night," "Goofus" and "Lazy River," a song with Hoagy Carmichael. He recorded also for the Brunswick label in the 30s with A Broken Melody with Buddy Clark. Some of Wayne King's hits appear on the album Best of Guy Lombardo.
The Big Band era was coming to an end in the late 40s and early 50s to make way for a new style of music. Many big bands and orchestras disbanded yet Wayne King's Orchestra continued playing and entertaining audiences well into the 1980s. Several of the band's songs are featured on "collection" and "greatest hits" albums.
Wayne King's dreamy, slow style of the big band era live on in the collections. Some of their more popular songs have been featured on The Lawrence Welk Show. His determination to play even when the Big Band Era ended shows his dedication to the music industry and the genre. The "Waltz King" died at the age of 84 in Paradise Valley, Arizona.
© Kim Summers /TiVo
Similar artists
-
Waltz & Ballroom Classics
Jazz - Released by Master Classics Records on 1 Jun 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Original Christmas Album)
Wayne King & His Orchestra, The Wayne Robinson Singers
Christmas Music - Released by Christmas Time on 1 Jan 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Waltz King
Jazz - Released by Jasmine Records on 16 Aug 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Song of the Islands / I'll Be with You in Apple Blossom Time
Jazz - Released by DIZZY on 12 Jan 1947
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dream Time (Album of 1958)
Pop - Released by Weird Music - Lounge on 30 Nov 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Carol of the Bells
Wayne King & His Orchestra, The Wayne Robinson Singers
Pop - Released by Savoy Records on 1 Oct 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Afternoon Tunes
Pop - Released by extramasters rec-ords on 22 Mar 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
-
Golden Favourites
Jazz - Released by Music Manager on 4 Feb 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Lp Library
Jazz - Released by old library records on 9 Jan 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Leisure Time
Jazz - Released by LST Collector Series on 19 Sep 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
-
The Best Of Wayne King, Vol. 2
Pop - Released by Leverage on 1 Jan 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
-
-