Ralph Flanagan (musician)
Ralph Flanagan (actually Ralph Elias Flenniken ; born April 7, 1914 in Lorain , Ohio , † December 30, 1995 in Miami ) was an American bandleader, pianist , arranger and composer in the field of swing and popular music .
Ralph Flanagan attended Lorain High School and played in Sammy Kaye's band . During the Second World War he served in the merchant navy ; from 1946 he worked as an arranger for Perry Como and was a studio musician at RCA Victor . Since many artists migrated from RCA to other labels, the management of the record company decided to set up their own bands and chose Flanagan as the band leader; in 1949 he was given the opportunity to found his own orchestra, which played in the style of the Glenn Miller sound and with which he recorded numerous records for RCA, such as his hit hits Rag Mop and Hot Toddy ; this title, which he had written with his manager Herb Hendler, was later interpreted by artists such as Chet Atkins , Rosemary Clooney and Julie London . With the standard I Should Care , Flanagan and his orchestra (with the vocals of Harry Prime) reached number 4 in the charts in 1952.
The Flanagan's themed songs were Giannina Mia and Singing Winds; the latter was performed by his vocal group, the Young Sisters. With Hot Toddy and Flanagan's Boogie , his orchestra was one of the most successful of the early 1950s. Flanagan has also arranged for the orchestras of Hal McIntyre , Blue Barron , Charlie Barnet and Alvino Rey throughout his career .
Jazz writer George T. Simon wrote Ralph Flanagan: The Bandleader in 1950 .
literature
- Leo Walker: The Big Band Almanac. Ward Ritchie Press, Pasadena 1978
- Simon, George T .: The Big Bands . With a foreword by Frank Sinatra. 3rd revised edition. New York City, New York: Macmillan Publishing Co and London: Collier Macmillan Publishers, 1974, p. 460
Web links
- Ralph Flanagan: “Prime Time” , article by Christopher Popa in the Big Band Library , December 2005
- Ralph Flanagan in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Ralph Flanagan at Allmusic (English)
Individual evidence
- ^ US catalog number: RCA Victor (45) 3212. With his version of the then current hit, he reached number 10 in the charts; compare Whitburn, Joel: Top Pop Records 1940-1955 . Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research, 1973, p. 22
- ↑ US catalog number: RCA Victor 5095. The single reached number 12 on the singles charts.
- ↑ No receipt. According to my records, it was not listed in the charts.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Flanagan, Ralph |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Flenniken, Ralph Elias (real name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American pianist, composer, arranger and band leader |
| DATE OF BIRTH | April 7, 1914 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Lorain , Ohio |
| DATE OF DEATH | December 30, 1995 |
| Place of death | Miami |