Sam Browne (musician)
Encyclopedia
Sam Browne was an English
dance band singer, who became one of the most popular British dance band
vocalists of the 1930s. He is remembered for singing with Jack Hylton
and with Ambrose
and his Orchestra, at the Mayfair Hotel and Embassy Club, with whom he made many recordings from 1930 to 1942, and for his duets and variety performances with the singer, Elsie Carlisle
.
, England, Sam Browne's first recording was made with the Jack Hylton band on 23 August 1928, "That's My Weakness Now", issued on HMV B5520. The band at that time included Jack Jackson (trumpet), Lew Davis and Leo Vauchant (trombone), Chappie D'Amato, E.O. Pogson, Billy Ternent (reeds) and Hugo Rignold (vn).
Over approximately a year and a half, Browne made over 100 records
with Hylton, including sessions in Berlin
and Milan
, and was to return to the studios with the Hylton band between 1938 and 1940.
Browne first recorded with Bert Ambrose's band on 8 February 1930, the titles, on the Decca
label
, were "A Little Kiss Each Morning" and "Body And Soul". It was recorded again on 22 February with a violin solo by Eric Siday. By March 1930, Ambrose had switched to the HMV label, and more Browne recordings began to appear such as "Moanin' For You" (B5813) "Cryin' For The Carolines" (B5814), "A Bench in The Park" (B5842) and "Leven Thirty Saturday Night" (B5847).
Browne's work with Ambrose took him to Monte Carlo
and Biarritz
, coupled with regular radio broadcasts from the Mayfair Hotel. Browne and Elsie Carlisle
became a popular singing pair with Ambrose. One of his more interesting records was from 1932, entitled "The Sun Has Got His Hat On
".
A reader of music, Browne's confident and warm delivery made him popular with bandleader
s and record buyers. With the publication of a full discography it is now clear that Browne made over 2,000 recordings. Some of the other bands that featured him included Alfredo (on Edison
), Bertini (on Eclipse), Harry Bidgood (on Broadcast), Harry Hudson (also on Edison) and Lew Stone
(Decca).
Browne was featured in several British film
s, including Calling All Stars
, Variety Parade and Hi Gang, as well as on numerous film shorts.
Browne worked with Bebe Daniels
and Ben Lyon
during World War II
in the 'Hi Gang' radio
series, and after the war continued to tour and record.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
dance band singer, who became one of the most popular British dance band
British dance band
British dance bands developed a unique style of popular jazz and dance music during the 1920s and 1930s that developed in British dance halls and hotel ballrooms thousands of miles away from the true origins of jazz...
vocalists of the 1930s. He is remembered for singing with Jack Hylton
Jack Hylton
Jack Hylton was a British band leader and impresario.He was born John Greenhalgh Hilton in the Great Lever area of Bolton, Lancashire, the son of George Hilton, a cotton yarn twister. His father was an amateur singer at the local Labour Club and Jack learned piano to accompany him on the stage...
and with Ambrose
Ambrose (bandleader)
Benjamin Baruch Ambrose , known professionally as Ambrose or Bert Ambrose, was an English bandleader and violinist. Ambrose become the leader of a highly acclaimed English dance band, the Bert Ambrose & His Orchestra, in the 1930s.-Early life:Ambrose was born in the East End of London; his father...
and his Orchestra, at the Mayfair Hotel and Embassy Club, with whom he made many recordings from 1930 to 1942, and for his duets and variety performances with the singer, Elsie Carlisle
Elsie Carlisle
Elsie Carlisle was a popular English female singer.Originally from Manchester, Elsie became extremely popular during the 1920s and 1930s, recording with many of the big dance bands of the time, as well as solo. She recorded very little after the beginning of the Second World War, and retired from...
.
Career
Born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England, Sam Browne's first recording was made with the Jack Hylton band on 23 August 1928, "That's My Weakness Now", issued on HMV B5520. The band at that time included Jack Jackson (trumpet), Lew Davis and Leo Vauchant (trombone), Chappie D'Amato, E.O. Pogson, Billy Ternent (reeds) and Hugo Rignold (vn).
Over approximately a year and a half, Browne made over 100 records
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
with Hylton, including sessions in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, and was to return to the studios with the Hylton band between 1938 and 1940.
Browne first recorded with Bert Ambrose's band on 8 February 1930, the titles, on the Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, were "A Little Kiss Each Morning" and "Body And Soul". It was recorded again on 22 February with a violin solo by Eric Siday. By March 1930, Ambrose had switched to the HMV label, and more Browne recordings began to appear such as "Moanin' For You" (B5813) "Cryin' For The Carolines" (B5814), "A Bench in The Park" (B5842) and "Leven Thirty Saturday Night" (B5847).
Browne's work with Ambrose took him to Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
and Biarritz
Biarritz
Biarritz is a city which lies on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast, in south-western France. It is a luxurious seaside town and is popular with tourists and surfers....
, coupled with regular radio broadcasts from the Mayfair Hotel. Browne and Elsie Carlisle
Elsie Carlisle
Elsie Carlisle was a popular English female singer.Originally from Manchester, Elsie became extremely popular during the 1920s and 1930s, recording with many of the big dance bands of the time, as well as solo. She recorded very little after the beginning of the Second World War, and retired from...
became a popular singing pair with Ambrose. One of his more interesting records was from 1932, entitled "The Sun Has Got His Hat On
The Sun Has Got His Hat On
The Sun Has Got His Hat On is one of the main songs in the musical Me and My Girl. It was written by Noel Gay and Ralph Butler, and recorded in 1932 by Ambrose and his Orchestra, with vocals by Sam Browne....
".
A reader of music, Browne's confident and warm delivery made him popular with bandleader
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
s and record buyers. With the publication of a full discography it is now clear that Browne made over 2,000 recordings. Some of the other bands that featured him included Alfredo (on Edison
Edison Records
Edison Records was one of the earliest record labels which pioneered recorded sound and was an important player in the early recording industry.- Early phonographs before commercial mass produced records :...
), Bertini (on Eclipse), Harry Bidgood (on Broadcast), Harry Hudson (also on Edison) and Lew Stone
Lew Stone
Lew Stone was a British dance band leader and arranger. He was well known in Britain during the 1930s.Stone learned music at an early age and became an accomplished pianist. In the 1920s, he worked with many important dance bands...
(Decca).
Browne was featured in several British film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s, including Calling All Stars
Calling All Stars
Calling All Stars is a 1937 British comedy and musical directed by Herbert Smith and starring Arthur Askey as the Waiter....
, Variety Parade and Hi Gang, as well as on numerous film shorts.
Browne worked with Bebe Daniels
Bebe Daniels
Bebe Daniels was an American actress, singer, dancer, writer and producer. She began her career in Hollywood during the silent movie era as a child actress, became a star in musicals like 42nd Street, and later gained further fame on radio and television in Britain...
and Ben Lyon
Ben Lyon
Ben Lyon was an American film actor and a 20th Century Fox studio executive.-Life:Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Lyon entered films in 1918 after a successful appearance on Broadway opposite Jeanne Eagels. He attracted attention in the highly successful film Flaming Youth , and steadily developed into...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in the 'Hi Gang' radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
series, and after the war continued to tour and record.