Song:Dream
Album:Dreams From The Sunny Side Of The Street
The vocal group The Pied Pipers were popular in the 40s first with Tommy Dorsey and Frank Sinatra and then on their own with hits like Dream. There were eight members led by Jo Stafford when they formed in the late 30s. Tommy Dorsey's arranger Paul Weston heard them at a jam session and signed then for Dorsey's radio show in New York. They appeared on the show for six weeks but the sponsor didn't like them and fired them. The group moved back to Los Angeles reduced to a quartet. They were Jo Stafford, her husband John Huddleston, Chuck Lowry and Billy Wilson. Dorsey rehired them and brought them to Chicago. Clark Yocum replaced Wilson. Then in 1940, Dorsey hired Sinatra. The Pied Pipers backed up Sinatra on several hits including I'll Never Smile Again. The Pied Pipers left Dorsey after he had one of his trademark temper tantrums. They moved back to Los Angeles and signed with Capitol Records. They reunited with Paul Weston who produced and arranged all of their Capitol recordings. And they also backed up recordings by Capitol owner Johnny Mercer. Huddleston went into the service and was replaced by Hal Hopper. And Jo Stafford had solo success and she left and was replaced by June Hutton. Dream topped the charts in 1945. It was The Pied Pipers' biggest hit. Mercer wrote Dream for his radio show. Today the song is a pop standard. The Pied Pipers had some other hits including The Trolley Song. You can get all their hits on this 2CD comp from Jasmine Records. They toured with Sinatra and were regulars on his radio show. They were also regulars on Johnny Mercer's show and Club Fifteen with The Andrews Sisters. June Hutton left to go solo in 1950 replaced by a stream of singers including Louanne Hogan who appears in the video. A version of The Pied Pipers tours today with a version of The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. Here's a 1951 Snader Telescription of Dream by The Pied Pipers (left to right-Chuck Lowry, Louanne Hogan, Clark Yocum, Hal Hopper) with The Ernie Felice Quartet.
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