- Ted Weems
Wilfred Theodore (Ted) Weems (originally Wemyes) (
26 September ,1901 -6 May ,1963 ) was aUnited States bandleader andmusician .Born in
Pitcairn, Pennsylvania , Weems learned to play the violin and trombone. He attended theUniversity of Pennsylvania , where he and his brother Art organized a small dance band. Going professional in 1923, Weems toured for the MCA Corporation, recording for several years onVictor Records . "Somebody Stole My Gal" became the band's first #1 hit in early 1924.Weems moved to
Chicago with his band around 1928. The Ted Weems Orchestra had more chart success in 1929 with thenovelty song "Piccolo Pete", and the #1 hit "The Man from the South".The band gained popularity in the 1930s, making regular
radio broadcasts. These includedJack Benny 'sCanada Dry program onNBC during the early 1930s, and the "Fibber McGee & Molly " program in the late 1930s. In 1936, the Ted Weems Orchestra gave singerPerry Como his first national exposure; Como recorded with the band (onDecca Records ), beginning his long and successful career. Among Weems' other discoveries were whistler-singerElmo Tanner , sax player and singerRed Ingle ,Marilyn Maxwell , who left the band for an acting career, and arrangerJoe Haymes , who created the band's unique jazz-novelty style.During World War II, Ted Weems enlisted in the
United States Merchant Marine , directing the Merchant Marine Band. Reorganizing his big band in 1947, he made records for Mercury, including the hits "Peg O' My Heart" and "Mickey". However, the biggest hit of Weems' career was areissue on his former Victor label: the Weems Orchestra's 1933 recording of "Heartaches" topped the national charts for 13 weeks. Decca Records also seized the moment, and its reissue of "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now" with vocals by Perry Como became another major chart hit.Despite this sudden surfeit of popularity, the hits dried up after 1947. Weems toured until 1953. At that time he accepted a
disc jockey position inMemphis, Tennessee , later moving on to a management position with theHoliday Inn hotel chain.Ted Weems died of
emphysema inTulsa, Oklahoma , in 1963. His son Ted Jr. led a revival band at times during the 1960s and 1970s.Watch
* [http://weirdovideotoo.blogspot.com/2007/05/jazz-age-flapper-chorus-line-with-ted.html Ted Weems Orchestra with flappers on the beach]
Listen to
* [http://www.redhotjazz.com/weems.html Ted Weems and his Orchestra on RedHotJazz]
External links
* [http://www.whistlingrecords.com/elmo_tanner/elmo_tanner.htm Online Guide to Whistling Records: Elmo Tanner]
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