[78-L] Benny's character - was 25 years ago today

[Cary Ginell]

There are two uproarious chapters on Benny Goodman in my biography of Terry Gibbs, "Good Vibes." In it, Benny (who Gibbs refers to as "El Foggo") even forgot his wife's name and called HER "Pops." Benny was perpetually in left field, according to Gibbs, practicing his clarinet in the nude, forgetting pianist Bernie Leighton's name and calling him "Teddy Wilson" on national TV, and not paying for cheap breakfasts for his band members. 

Cary Ginell

> Date: Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:44:30 -0700
> From: rjh334578 at yahoo.com
> To: 78-l at 78online.com
> Subject: [78-L] Benny's character - was 25 years ago today
> 
> If you want to get a feel for the characters of Goodman, James and Shaw from a unique point of view, I highly recommend reading Helen Forrest's autobio "I Had the Craziest Dream."   The review I read said it was sophomorically written, and repetitive [and it WAS poorly edited] but a great read for anybody interested in the big band era.  
>  
> Among the great bits, she tells that Benny wanted her for some kind of tour and when he couldn't call her by her name instead of "Pops" she hung up on him.  Interesting account of the night Shaw packed it in and headed to Mexico, too.  Had nice things to say about Holiday and a lot of other singers, and I found her assessments of many of them matched my own.
> 
> Rodger
> 
> For Best Results use Victor Needles.
> 
> .
> 
> --- On Tue, 6/14/11, simmonssomer <simmonssomer at comcast.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> From: simmonssomer <simmonssomer at comcast.net>
> Subject: Re: [78-L] 25 years ago today
> To: "78-L Mail List" <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
> Date: Tuesday, June 14, 2011, 11:32 AM
> 
> 
> From everything I've read and according to musicians I've spoken with
> he was difficult. But then , so was Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller to name 
> only two of many.
> 
> 
> Al Simmons
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "DanKj" <MLK402 at verizon.net>
> To: "78-L Mail List" <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2011 9:20 AM
> Subject: Re: [78-L] 25 years ago today
> 
> 
> > I've never had the feeling that Benny Goodman was a nice person to work
> > for/with ;  how does that sit with the truth?
> >
> >
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