Roy Fox

Roy Fox (October 25, 1901, Denver, Colorado - March 20, 1982, London) was an American dance bandleader whose period of greatest popularity came during his years performing in England.

Fox was born in Denver but brought up in Hollywood, California. He began playing cornet when he was eleven years old, and by age 13 was performing in the "Los Angeles Examiner"'s newsboys' band. Soon after he played bugle for a studio owned by Cecil B. DeMille. His first major association came at age 16, when he joined Abe Lyman's orchestra at the Sunset Inn in Santa Monica, where he played alongside Miff Mole, Gussie Miller, and Gus Arnheim. He developed a soft style of playing there which earned him the nickname "The Whispering Cornetist". In 1920 he put together his own band, with whom he recorded in 1925. That same year he also scored a gig on radio broadcasting with Art Hickman's orchestra; this ensemble toured the U.S., then did an extended residency in Florida. After some time in New York City, Fox and Arnheim reconvened in Hollywood, working at the Ambassador Hotel, and Fox continued to broadcast with his own bands. During this time he also did a number of film soundtracks.

In 1930 Fox was invited to perform in London, which he did first on September 29 of that year. He recorded on the BBC that year, and when his band returned to the U.S. the following spring, Fox remained behind, recording with a new group for Decca Records and accepting an engagement at the Monseigneur restaurant in Piccadilly. He lost this contract in November 1931 when he fell ill with pleurisy and traveled to Switzerland for a stay at a sanatorium. Upon his return he put together yet another group comprised of entirely new members aside from trumpeter/vocalist Sid Buckman, and performed in Belgium as well as the UK. He made the films "On the Air" and "Big Ben Calling" in 1933-34, recorded for HMV in 1936, and toured Europe until 1938, when he fell ill again.

Fox moved to Australia, where he led the Jay Whidden Orchestra and visited the U.S. for a few tours with small groups. He led a band in England in 1946-47, with appearances at the Isle of Man and London's Potomac Club. He went into semi-retirement after 1952, when he opened his own booking agency, and died in London in 1982.

References

* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:a9fixq95ldae~T1 Roy Fox] at Allmusic