Ted Weems

Wilfred Theodore " Ted" Weems, actually Wemyes, ( born September 26, 1901 in Pitcairn, Pennsylvania, † May 6, 1963 in Tulsa ) was an American jazz trombonist, violinist and bandleader.

Life

Weems learned trombone and violin and directed with his brother Art ( a trumpet player and singer ) as a student at the University of Pennsylvania, a dance band. In 1923 she turned professional, toured and recorded for Victor on. In 1924 she had a # 1 hit with " Somebody Stole my Gal ". Around 1925 they moved to Chicago. In 1929, she had hits with " Piccolo Pete " and " The Man from the South", which they had recorded for the newly founded Music Corporation of America. During this time, Weems ' orchestra was one of the most popular territory bands of the Midwest.

In the 1930s, they were popular with several sponsored nationwide radio broadcasts, among other things, " Jack Benny's Canada Dry " show and later in the " Fibber McGee and Molly Show" and in "Beat the Band". Began in 1936, the singer Perry Como his career with the band, as also emerged recordings for Decca. Other singers were the whistling Elmo Tanner, Marilyn Maxwell, who participated in many Bob Hope films, and Red Ingle. During the Second World War, he led the band of the U.S. Merchant Marine (from 1942). 1947 celebrated his single " Heartache " in the southern U.S. a comeback; Victor ended up with the old version of 1933, a No. 1 hit. During this time he founded his new Big Band and recorded for Mercury hits like " Peg O'My Heart" or " Mickey". 1953 Weems gave to his band and was at the end of the decade disc jockey in Memphis ( Tennessee) and later Manager to the Holiday -Inn hotel chain. Only occasionally he performed with his band at the beginning of the 60s in the Midwest. During one of these tours Weems was admitted in March 1963 with emphysema in a hospital in Tulsa, where he died seven weeks later.