[78-L] Total Recall: Artie Shaw

[Jeff Sultanof]

True, but you have to consider that he was very altruistic about his band.
His idea of being a bandleader was to play the best music he could play and
go home. He quickly learned that if he wanted to have a band, he needed to
deal with all sorts of issues that he ultimately didn't want to deal with
(agents, song pluggers, A&R men at Victor). He wanted publicity, but he
didn't want to be a matinee idol.

Yes, it was unrealistic given that his sort of music was the pop music of
its day and he was forced to be a personality. He didn't handle it well.
Miller handled it very well, so did Horace Height and Kay Kyser.

Jeff Sultanof


David said:
He was no more burdened with 'crap' than any other bandleader. I love his
version of "Someday Sweetheart" and don't tell me "It ain't Right" is dross.
(OK, I'll concede on the Wes Vaughn vocals).