OLSEN and His MUSIC, GEORGE
Homebase: Portland, OR.
Stats: (March 18, 1893 --March 18, 1971)
Misc Notes: George Edward Olsen was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1893. He learned the drums and later became a drum major while attending the University of Michigan, where he formed his band, George Olsen and his Music. Returning home to Portland, Olsen led a dance band at the Hippodrome, and on The Oregonian's radio station KGW. At one point his band included: Olsen (drums), E.V. Kilfeather (piano), G. Bertram (bass), F.L. Rice (trumpet), George Henkle (alto sax / flute), Milton Neul (tenor sax/ clarinet), and Ray Wilkeson (banjo) -- along with Buffalo Bill and John Phillip Sousa's famous brass player, William "Chief" Arquette, from the Puyallup tribe in Washington State. He then made the cross-county transition to Broadway, appearing in Kid Boots, the Ziegfeld Follies of 1924, and Good News. George Olsen and his Music signed with Victor in 1924 and were prolific recording artists. He and his orchestra were in Eddie Cantor's 1928 Broadway hit Whoopee!, and in the 1930 movie version. In the Follies Olsen met a singer, Ethel Shutta, who sings and dances memorably in Whoopee!, and they married, appearing together in nightclubs and on radio, and had two children, George, Jr. and Charles. In 1933 Olsen switched labels, signing with Columbia where he recorded up until January 1934. He recorded a single session in 1938 for Decca, and one final date for the rare Varsity label in 1940. Olsen's bands, though excellent, produced few stars. Singer-saxophonist Fred MacMurray passed through in 1930 on his way to eventual movie stardom, recording a vocal on I'm in the Market for You. Olsen's long-time alto saxist and singer, Fran Frey, with his distinctive, reedy bass-baritone, was perhaps the best known member until he left in 1933 for a career as a music director in radio. In 1936, Olsen became leader of Orville Knapp's band after Knapp died in a plane crash. Olsen was chosen to lead the band by Knapp's widow. Morale problems plagued the group, and in 1938, after many musicians had already left, the group disbanded. Following a divorce, Olsen ran a restaurant in Paramus, New Jersey, for many years before he died there on March 18, 1971.
PARTIAL DISCOGRAPHY:
- Beale Street Blues (1924)
- Biminy (1924)
- Everybody Loves My Baby (1925)
- He's The Hottest Man In Town (1924)
- My Best Girl (1924)
- My Papa Doesn't Two-Time No Time (1924)
- Nancy (1924)
- Put Away A Little Ray Of Golden Sunshine For A Rainy Day (1924)
- Sax-o-phun (1924)
- The Slave of Love (1924)
- You'll Never Get To Heaven With Those Eyes (1924)
- Lullaby of the Leaves (1932)
MISC NOTES: B-Side is by Victor Arden - Phil Ohman and Their Orchestra
LOCATION:
RECORDING PERSONNEL: "with vocal refrain"
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FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 10"
SPEED: 78 rpm
DISC NOTES:
A-SIDE MATRIX: 40-617
A-SIDE STAMPER CODE:
A-SIDE COMPOSER: Davis & Coots
A-SIDE PUBLISHER:
MISC NOTES: B-Side is by The Troubadours
LOCATION:
RECORDING PERSONNEL: "Vocal refrain by Fran Frey, Bob Rice, Edward Joyce"
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FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 10"
SPEED: 78 rpm
DISC NOTES:
A-SIDE MATRIX: 19955-A
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RECORDING PERSONNEL: "with vocal refrain"
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FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 10"
SPEED: 78 rpm
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A-SIDE MATRIX: 19761-A
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B-SIDE MATRIX: 19761-B
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MISC NOTES: A-Side is by Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians.
LOCATION:
RECORDING PERSONNEL: B-Side: "Vocal refrain by the trio with the orchestra"
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FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 10"
SPEED: 78 rpm
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B-SIDE MATRIX: 20289-B
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RECORDING PERSONNEL: A-Side: "Vocal refrain by Fran Frey, Bob Rice, Bob Borger." B-Side: "Vocal refrain by Bob Borger"
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FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 10"
SPEED: 78 rpm
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A-SIDE MATRIX: 21846-A
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B-SIDE MATRIX: 21846-B
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RECORDING PERSONNEL: A-Side: "Vocal Refrain by Bob Borger, Fran Frey, Bob Rice;
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FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 10"
SPEED: 78 rpm
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A-SIDE MATRIX: 21034-A
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B-SIDE MATRIX: 21034-B
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RECORDING PERSONNEL: "Vocal Refrain by Bob Borger, Fran Frey, Bob Rice"
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FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 10"
SPEED: 78 rpm
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A-SIDE MATRIX: 20455-A
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MISC NOTES: Side-B is by The Troubadours.
LOCATION:
RECORDING PERSONNEL: George Olsen ("refrain" Side-A);
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FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 10"
SPEED: 78 rpm
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A-SIDE MATRIX: 21683-A
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SIZE: 10"
SPEED: 78 rpm
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A-SIDE MATRIX: 21832-A
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B-SIDE MATRIX: 21832-B
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FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 10"
SPEED: 78 rpm
DISC NOTES:
A-SIDE MATRIX: 19715-A
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B-SIDE MATRIX: 19715-B
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SIZE: 10"
SPEED: 78 rpm
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A-SIDE MATRIX: 19896-A
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B-SIDE MATRIX: 19896-B
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MISC NOTES: B-Side is by the International Novelty Orchestra
LOCATION:
RECORDING PERSONNEL: Rudy Wiedoeft ("laughing saxophone": Side-A)
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FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 10"
SPEED: 78 rpm
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A-SIDE MATRIX: 19509-A
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A-SIDE COMPOSER: Rudy Wiedoeft
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MISC NOTES: B-side by Aaron Anderson and His Commanders
LOCATION:
RECORDING PERSONNEL: A-Side: "Vocal refrain by Trio from the orchestra"
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FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 10"
SPEED: 78 rpm
DISC NOTES:
A-SIDE MATRIX: 20100-A
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FORMAT: disc
SIZE: 10"
SPEED: 78 rpm
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A-SIDE MATRIX: 21701-A
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B-SIDE MATRIX: 21701-B
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SIZE: 10"
SPEED: 78 rpm
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A-SIDE MATRIX: 2791-D 152436
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MISC NOTES: "Recorded 1928-1929 - Encore 3"
1.) Because My Baby Don't Mean Maybe Now! (Recorded 1928)
2.) Doin’ The Raccoon (Recorded 1928)
3.) I’m Bringing A Red Red Rose (Recorded 1928)
4.) Just Like A Melody Out Of The Sky (Recorded 1928)
5.) Just A Little Bit O' Driftwood (Recorded 1928)
6.) Come West Little Girl, Come West (Recorded 1928)
7.) I Faw Down An' Go Boom! (Recorded 1928)
8.) Ten Little Miles From Town (Recorded 1928)
9.) A Precious Little Thing Called Love ! (Recorded 1928)
10.) Where Were You-Where Was I (Exactly Where We Are) (Recorded 1928)
11.) I'm In Seventh Heaven (Recorded 1929)
12.) Walking With Susie (Recorded 1929)
13.) If You Believed In Me (Recorded 1929)
14.) That's You, Baby(Recorded 1929)
15.) Breakaway (Recorded 1929)
16.) What Do I Care (Recorded 1929)
17.) Big City Blues (Recorded 1929)
LOCATION: Portland /
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FORMAT: CD
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