Let's celebrate the end of 2020 together. There hasn't been a lot to celebrate this year but I want to end 2020 on a positive note. So let's party!
Party starts at 10pm (EST) on Dec 31st - Ronnaldo Live! on Swing City Radio.
I will be jumping on the air around 10pm (EST) and I will be taking your requests and playing great Big Band music deep into the night to ring in 2021. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of feeling isolated and it will be so refreshing to spend time on the air with all of you. You can text me your requests at 484-808-5646 or you can use the request button on the website or app.
It should be quite fun and I hope to see you there!
Remember: If you would like access to Bonus Content and Podcast Extras then join our Patreon at the "Hepcats" Level. It's a great way to support the station.
Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Streaming Online from King of Prussia, PA. Commercial Free!
As we FINALLY prepare to close the book on 2020, I thought it would be fun to look back to what things cost in 1920. Some of the prices might seem like a total bargain but just remember, everything is relative. It's important to keep in mind that the average household income in the United States in 1920 was approximately $3,269.40. That amount in comparison is roughly $42,142.08 in today's dollars.
Average Income = $3,269.40 per year
New House = $6,296
Average Rent = $15 per month
Movie Ticket = 15 cents each
Gasoline = 33 cents per gallon
First Class Postage Stamp = 2 cents
Food and Groceries:
Bacon 1 lb. = 52¢
Bread 1 lb. = 12¢
Butter 1 lb. = 70¢
Cabbage 1 lb. = 2¢
Cheese I lb. = 38¢
Chicken 1 lb. = 39¢
Coffee 1 lb. = 47¢
Eggs 1 Doz. = 47¢
Flour 5 lbs. = 41¢
Milk ½ Gal. = 33¢
Oranges 1 Doz. = 63¢
Potatoes 10 lbs. = 63¢
Round Steak 1 lb. = 40¢
Sugar 5 lbs. = 97¢
Watermelon 1 lb. = 2¢
Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Streaming Online from King of Prussia, PA. Commercial Free!
Merry Christmas Everyone! Thank you so much for listening all year long!
Don't forget that starting at 6pm tonight Swing City Radio will be featuring 24 hours of Big Band Christmas Music!
Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Streaming Online from King of Prussia, PA. Commercial Free!
The Big Band and Swing Podcast - Collection of Big Band Favorites - Part 1 -
Hello everyone! I'm going to be taking a little break during the holidays but I DID NOT want to leave you empty handed. So I've put together a collection of songs from past episodes that I really enjoyed cleaning up and playing for you. The King Sisters, Tex Beneke and Count Basie are just a few of the artists you'll hear in this episode. Enjoy!
Listen to The Big Band and Swing Podcast
Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Broadcasting Online from King of Prussia, PA. Commercial Free!
Ralph Flanagan, was a leader of his own successful band but early in his career served as a pianist, composer and arranger for the bands of Hal McIntyre, Sammy Kaye, Blue Barron, Charlie Barnet, and Alvino Rey.
A few years after returning from World War II, Flanagan formed his own orchestra which is partly credited with re-popularizing the "Glenn Miller Sound." The band made many records, among them "Singing Winds", "Rag Mop" and "Hot Toddy."
Listen to "Hot Toddy" from Ralph Flanagan
The Ralph Flanagan Orchestra was managed by Herb Hendler at RCA. Hendler is credited for encouraging Flanagan to adopt the "Miller Sound" that led to his success.
You can listen to Ralph Flanagan right here on Swing City Radio!
Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Streaming Online from King of Prussia, PA - Commercial Free!
Just to remind you, on Christmas Eve at 6pm (5-GMT) we will begin to play ONLY Christmas music. This will continue to 6pm on Christmas Day. You will be able to tune in to Swing City Radio on Christmas morning and Christmas afternoon and hear great Big Band Christmas songs.
So, have us playing in the background while eating Christmas dinner, drinking eggnog, opening presents, spending time with family and so on. Actually, I can't remember the last time I drank eggnog.
We will return to normal programming at 6pm (5-GMT) on December 25th.
Merry Christmas Everyone!
Watch a video of some great photography capturing Christmas in the 1940's
Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Streaming Online from King of Prussia, PA. Commercial Free!
On a foggy afternoon, December 15, 1944, a plane carrying Glenn Miller and two other passengers took off from Bedford, England heading for Paris, France. The plane vanished over the English Channel and Glenn Miller was never seen or heard from again.
Miller's disappearance was not made public until December 24, 1944, when the Associated Press announced Miller would not be conducting the "AEF Christmas Show" scheduled for the following day. Jerry Gray, who at that time was the band's deputy leader, had the unenviable task to conduct the band in Miller's absence. The live performance was broadcasted by the BBC.
Listen to audio of BBC Radio reporting that Glenn Miller has gone missing.
Glenn Miller traded in his huge commercial success stateside for a military uniform to entertain US troops in Europe during World War II. Major Glenn Miller was flying to Paris to make arrangements to move his entire band there in the near future. His plane, a single-engine UC-64 Norseman, disappeared while flying over the English Channel and Miller never arrived in Paris. The two other people on board were Lieutenant Colonel Norman Baessell and the pilot, John Morgan.
There are many conspiracy theories that have floated around about his disappearance, but it's most likely that Miller's plane flew into cold weather and experienced carburetor icing, causing the aircraft to lose power and ditch in the cold water. Any survivors would have died of hypothermia within 20 minutes.
Miller left behind his wife and two adopted children. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, presented to his wife Helen in a ceremony held on March 24, 1945.
December 15th is always a sad day at Swing City Radio. Glenn Miller has always been and will always be one of my favorite Big Band artists. You can listen to the music of Glenn Miller right here on Swing City Radio.
Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Streaming Online from King of Prussia, PA. Commercial Free!
The Big Band and Swing Podcast - Episode 42: A Chick, a Tiger and a Boyd -
Well, hello there! This episode features music from Chick Webb, The Original Dixie Land Band, Boyd Raeburn and many more. We also learn where to go if you need a gift for the Johnsons.
Listen to The Big Band and Swing Podcast
Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Broadcasting Online from King of Prussia, PA. Commercial Free!
Leo Reisman led a very successful band in the 1920's and 1930's. He was also a pretty good violinist. He became famous for having over 80 hits on the charts during his career. Reisman started recording in 1921. Think about that! He started recording about 100 years ago and here I am writing an article about him and still playing his music in 2020.
Leo Reisman recorded for Columbia exclusively through most of the 1920's and then bounced back and forth between Victor and Brunswick. In the 1930's, Reisman became known for recording many lesser-known Broadway songs, some of which were recorded by no other band. He bands were always prominent and he recorded prolifically.
Reisman regularly featured Broadway performers as band vocalists, including names like Harold Arlen and Fred Astaire. A notable recording from this era was "Happy Days Are Here Again."
Listen to "Night and Day" by Leo Reisman (Fred Astaire on Vocals)
Overall, his most popular hits were his #1 recordings of "Night and Day," "The Continental," and "Cheek to Cheek."
Reisman's Orchestra was primarily a dance orchestra. He was not the biggest fan of jazz music, but some of his early recordings were a bit improvisational and "hot".
Eddy Duchin was a member of Leo Reisman's orchestra; it was Reisman who gave Duchin his big break. Mitch Miller was also a member of his Orchestra for a time.
Leo Reisman died in 1961, at the age of 64.
You can hear Leo Reisman right here on Swing City Radio.
Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Sreaming Online from King of Prussia, PA. - Commercial Free!
The Big Band and Swing Podcast - Episode 41: A Little Dab of Kenton, Basie and Goodman -
Hey there! In this episode we listen to some Stan Kenton, Ina Ray Hutton, Frank Sinatra, Lionel Hampton and more. We also learn that Brylcream may make your hair disturbingly healthy.
Listen to The Big Band and Swing Podcast
Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Broadcasting Online from King of Prussia, PA. Commercial Free!
Stan Kenton was among the most influential pianists and band leaders of the Big Band Era. He led an innovative jazz orchestra for almost four decades and even though Kenton had several pop hits in the 1940's, his music was always progressive. Kenton was also a pioneer in the field of jazz education.
In April of 1936, Gus Arnheim was reorganizing his band into the style of Benny Goodman's groups and Kenton was to take the piano chair. This is where Kenton would make his first recordings when Arnheim made 14 recordings in the summer of 1937. Once he departed from Gus Arnheim's group, Kenton went back to study with private teachers on both the piano and in composition.
In 1940, Kenton formed his first orchestra. Kenton worked in the early days with his own groups as more of an arranger than a featured pianist. His first band was primarily a collection of studio musicians. Kenton spent the summer of 1941 playing regularly in front of audiences at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa Beach, CA. The Stan Kenton Orchestra struggled for a time after its initial success. Its recordings were not big sellers and a stint as Bob Hope's backup radio band during the 1943–44 season was an unhappy experience.
Listen to the song "Eager Beaver" by Stan Kenton
By late 1943, with a contract with Capitol Records, a popular record in "Eager Beaver", and growing recognition, the Stan Kenton Orchestra was gradually catching on. It soon developed into one of the best-known West Coast ensembles of the 1940's. Its soloists during the war years included Art Pepper, Stan Getz, Boots Mussulli, and singer Anita O'Day.
Listen to the song "Artistry in Rhythm" by Stan Kenton
By 1945, the band had evolved. June Christy was Kenton's new singer and her hits "Tampico" and "Across the Alley from the Alamo" made it possible for Kenton to finance his more ambitious projects. His ensemble entitled Artistry in Rhythm and Stan Kenton's other musical projects helped shaped Jazz Music deep into the 1960's.
Listen to the brilliant music of Stan Kenton right here on Swing City Radio.
Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Streaming Online from King of Prussia, PA. Commercial Free!
The Big Band and Swing Podcast - Episode 40: Big Bands and Beer -
Hi again! This episode features music from Duke Ellington, Vaughn Monroe, Artie Shaw, Lucky Millinder and many more. Ronnaldo sings a song in this one? What? You can't be serious!
Listen to The Big Band and Swing Podcast
Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Broadcasting Online from King of Prussia, PA. Commercial Free!
This recording features the songs: "Flying Home", "125th St. Prophet", "Straighten Up and Fly Right" and "Come On Out Wherever You Are" from a Live Radio Performance that took place in 1944. The audio has been cleaned up and this is a classic performance by Woody Herman and His Orchestra.
- Only Available for a Limited Time -
- Click Button to Download Your Free Recording -
Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Broadcasting Online from King of Prussia, PA.
Here is a list of December Birthdays of notable Big Band and Swing artists that we play right here on Swing City Radio. I also included the date the artist passed away for age purposes. If you feel that I've missed someone, then send me an email through the website. View more Big Band related Birthday and Events on our Swing City Radio Station Calendar.
December 3
Connee Boswell (December 3, 1907 – October 11, 1976)
December 7
Louis Prima (December 7, 1910 – August 24, 1978)
Teddy Hill (December 7, 1909 – May 19, 1978)
December 9
Freddy Martin (December 9, 1906 – September 30, 1983)
December 12
Frank Sinatra (December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998)
December 14
Jerry Daniels (December 14, 1915 – November 7, 1995)
December 15
Stan Kenton (December 15, 1911 – August 25, 1979)
Glenn Miller Disappears (1944)
December 17
Ray Noble (17 December 1903 – 2 April 1978)
December 18
Fletcher Henderson (December 18, 1897 – December 29, 1952)
December 25
Cab Calloway (December 25, 1907 – November 18, 1994)
Nat Shilkret (December 25, 1889 – February 18, 1982)
Tony Martin (December 25, 1913 – July 27, 2012)
December 28
Earl Hines (December 28, 1903 – April 22, 1983)
December 31
John Kirby (December 31, 1908 – June 14, 1952)
Swing City Radio: Playing Your Big Band and Swing Music Favorites from the 1930's, 40's and Today! - Big Band Radio Station Broadcasting Online from King of Prussia, PA.
