Ray Anthony & His Orchestra
A master of catchy, big band dance tunes in the 1950s, Ray Anthony was as an orchestra leader, trumpet player and all round entertainer that helped popularise the Hokey Pokey song and dance in the US. Born as Raymond Antonini, he learned trumpet from his father and started out playing with Glenn Miller and Jimmy Dorsey in 1940 before serving in the US Navy during WWII and starting his own group upon his return. A brilliant self-publicist and natural showman, he signed to Capitol Records in 1949 and his novelty hits The Bunny Hop and Hokey Pokey (known in Britain as the Hokey Cokey) started national dance crazes. He penned the theme tune to TV cop show Dragnet and reached Number 2 in the US charts with his version of Glenn Miller's At Last in 1952 and, though derided by snooty jazz critics as being overly populist, his easy listening albums Young Ideas (1957) and Anthony Plays Allen (1958) were well received. Anthony became a regular at Hollywood and Las Vegas nightclubs and away from music he married B-movie sex symbol Mamie Van Doren, briefly had his own television variety show and acted in a series of films including Daddy Long Legs, The Five Pennies and High School Confidential. He scored his last major hit with the theme to spy show Peter Gunn, was later awarded with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and continued performing into his 90s.
©Copyright Music Story 2023
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I Almost Lost Your Mind (Original Album Plus Bonus Tracks 1962)
Pop - Released by Weird Music - Lounge on 1 Jan 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Ray Anthony and His Orchestra - 22 Original Hits - The Essential Series
Jazz - Released by Hindsight Records on 9 May 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Essential Jazz Masters
Jazz - Released by Master Classics Records on 1 Mar 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Young Ideas + Moments Together (Bonus Track Version)
Jazz - Released by Jazz Lovers on 26 Sep 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
At Last (Hi-Fi Remastered)
Pop - Released by Inter-Phono records on 29 Jul 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Champs-Élysées (Mono Version)
Jazz - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1961
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
The Twist (Mono Version)
Pop - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1962
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Like Wild! (Mono Version)
Pop - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1960
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Like Wild (Stereo Version)
Jazz - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1960
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Sentimental Journey 1949-1950
Jazz - Released by Circle on 23 May 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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More Dream Dancing
Jazz - Released by Findina Records on 7 Jul 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Leisure Time
Jazz - Released by LST Collector Series on 12 Sep 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Swingin' On Campus (Original Album plus Bonus Tracks 1956)
Pop - Released by Weird Music on 1 Jan 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Moments Together (Original Album Plus Bonus Tracks 1957)
Pop - Released by Weird Music - Lounge on 1 Jan 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Plays for Dancers in Love (Original Album Plus Bonus Tracks 1957)
Pop - Released by Come Dancing on 1 Jan 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I Remember Glenn Miller (Original Album Plus Bonus Tracks 1956)
Pop - Released by Weird Music - Lounge on 1 Jan 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ray Anthony Plays Steve Allen (Original Album Plus Bonus Tracks 1958)
Pop - Released by Weird Music - Lounge on 1 Jan 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo