Chick Henderson (November 22, 1912—June 24, 1944)
was an English singer who achieved popularity and acclaim as a prolific
recording artist and performer with dance bands during the late 1930s and early
1940s.
Chick Henderson was born Henderson Rowntree in West
Hartlepool, England. As a boy he loved to sing and was an active member of a
church choir. He was heard by Harry Leader and given an audition, who
immediately signed him up in 1935. Chick started recording with the band in
1935 and made three records on the Eclipse Label. His first recording was ‘Zing
Went the Strings of My Heart’, matrix 2544-1, on 15th June 1935, and released
on Eclipse 1011. Chick made his first broadcast on the BBC in August 1935.
Chick joined the Joe Loss Band in September 1935 after having been heard on
radio. He cut the first Joe Loss records on 22nd October 1935 in the London HMV
studios, ‘Wyoming in the Gloaming’, OEA-1998-1, and ‘The General’s Fast Asleep’,
OEA-2000-1. Chick and Joe Loss went on to record over 250 tracks.
Even though Chick was the principal singer for Joe Loss, he continued to make records on Columbia and Regal Zonophone with Harry Leader. The mid 1930’s is a period which is difficult for record collectors and historians. Columbia used the name Harry Leader but Regal Zonophone released Harry Leader discs under a number of aliases such as Wally Bishop, International Novelty Orchestra, and Mel Rose. To complicate things further these sides were released in Australia under all these names and also as The Rhythmic Troubadours on RZ. Some Joe Loss tracks also used these aliases.
In October 1936, Joe Loss contracted to RZ. Their
first RZ record was ‘When Did You Leave Heaven’ and ‘You’ve Got To Blow Your
Own Trumpet’.
From all accounts Chick Henderson was a shy and
modest person who loved to spend quiet weekends with his family and friends,
but at least once a month he was in the recording studio with Joe Loss, usually
putting down about four numbers each session. Very few recordings required more
than one take.
In July 1937 he made his first solo recording
‘Greatest Mistake Of My Life’ and ‘Broken Hearted Clown’. He had only accordion
and piano as accompaniment. It was not until November 1937 that his other solo
disc was recorded on RZ, and it was the only time that the label credit
reversed the order, Chick Henderson with Joe Loss. His best seller was ‘Begin
The Beguine’ of 5/7/1939, but he made a large number very highly regarded
discs. Chick received £4 for the recording session, while Joe Loss picked up a
gold disc!
In 1940 Chick recorded eight tracks with Harry Roy,
three with Organ Dance Band & Me, and four with London Piano Accordion
Band. His last recording session was in 1942 in Glasgow with Joe Loss.
Less than a year following the start of World War II
in September 1939, he began serving in the Merchant Navy. He survived two torpedo attacks on his ships, but after four years of service, sustained fatal
wounds in Southsea from flying bomb shrapnel. Chick Henderson was 31 years old.
A Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, on strength of HMS
Victory at time of his death, he was buried in Haslar Royal Naval Cemetery
under his real name.
After a recording career of only seven years, Chick
made about 280 tracks although his name is not on the majority of labels.
He
made 19 with Harry Leader, and 242 (247?) with Joe Loss, plus 2 with
instrumental accompaniment. Some of his recordings were not released in
Australia in 78 rpm format. Strangely it took many years before EMI started to
release compilations on LP and Cassette.
(Info mainly edited from a short article written by
Doug Hamilton 17 Jan 2000)
5 comments:
For A Retrospective Chick Henderson & Joe Loss go here;
http://www57.zippyshare.com/v/73510462/file.html
1 Begin the Beguine
2 By an Old Pagoda
3 I Know Now
4 I Shall Be Waiting
5 I Still Love to Kiss You Goodnight
6 I'll Remember
7 It Looks Like Rain in Cherry Blossom Lane
8 It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow
9 May I Have the Next Romance with You
10 Music, Maestro, Please
11 My Prayer
12 On a Little Dream Ranch
13 On the Sentimental Side
14 Remember Me
15 September in the Rain
16 Seventeen Candles
17 That Lovely Weekend
18 The Girl in the Alice Blue Gown
19 While a Cigarette Was Burning
Go here for more of Chick’s recordings:
https://archive.org/details/ChickHenderson-01-23
Hi Bob...Have you ever heard of a singer called "Johnnie Francis"...I have been after information about him for years...he had a hit record 78 rpm in the 50's of a song called "Madonna Madonna" B/W I still Believe on "DECCA" Unfortunately it got broke as many 78's did in those days ..and I have been after it for the last 30 odd years...It brings back great memories !!..Nobody seems to have heard of him and there is no information on any of the "Wikipedia" sites or any other sites!!..I am in contact with him at he lives in "Spain"..even he can't help !!...If you like I can give you my e-mail address to go into this more if you want to...Maybe your sources are much better than mine...Thanks...Cheers....Luigi (Mick)
Hello Luigi, I think we've had this conversation before. The recod is not in my or Radio Angel's record libraries, although there is a 78 currently on sale at ebay for £5
http://www.ebay.it/itm/Johnnie-Francis-Madonna-Madonna-I-Still-Believe-Decca-78-RPM-F10360-/311119737693?pt=UK_Records&hash=item48702e735d
Regards, Bob
Hi Bob..thanks for the info...and sorry forgot I'd mentioned it before memory's not so good at my age !!...peculiar thing is that the Ebay site is the Italian Site and yet the seller is in England..have sent him an E-mail to find out where it will be shipped from..if it's coming from Italy it will be a 50/50 chance of it arriving in pieces !!!thanks again...cheers....mick
Thank you so much for the music. I visit often and learn something new every time.
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