[78-L] Fwd: recent finds

[Geoffrey Wheeler]

Hello,

I’m new to “78-L.” Saw your comment about the three recordings Ella 
Fitzgerald made for Victor with the Benny Goodman Orchestra November 5, 
1936. At the time, Fitzgerald was “girl” vocalist with the Chick Webb 
band and thus under contract to the Webb band, not Decca. On November 
19, 1936, Fitzgerald recorded for the first time under her own name for 
Decca. She was thus presumably under contract with Decca to make 
records under her own name while still continuing to record with Webb. 
This arrangement continued until Webb’s death June 16, 1939 and 
Fitzgerald took over fronting the band. I have no idea who or what 
owned the band after Webb died. On December 30, 1936, James Rushing 
vocalist with the Basie band, which was also recording for Decca, 
recorded one tune with Goodman for Victor: “He Ain’t Got Rhythm.” 
Presumably the reason this record was not also pulled from sale was 
that Rushing was under contract to Basie, not Decca. The other three 
selections on this four-tune date were done by Margaret McCrae.

Geoffrey Wheeler