Make Believe Ballroom

On this edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM – A special birthday song, a records heartache, first time ever recording, from the top to the bottom, a song Fred Astaire refused to sing, a mystery singer, plus many more records and stories of the wonderful music of the 30s and 40s.

On this week’s MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM: Rhumba, a bandleader's mark as a composer, battle of the jazz violinists, from goat to Goodman hero, a grave song, the unheralded Robert Johnson and much more music, trivia, and historic stories.

On this weeks edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM – a visit from the past, some clues to a famous female vocalist, one bandleader's loss is another’s big gain, some British nobility, some recorded rarities, and a whole lot more music and stories of the big band, swing, and early jazz era.

On this edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM a great Helen O’Connell quote, jazz, swing and hillbilly all rolled into one, Tiny, Shorty and Big, the history behind the Make Believe Ballroom, and along the way Ella and Louie, Vaughn Monroe and much more music and history of the era.

On this week’s show – Name a big band era hit that became a famous celebrity’s theme song, Dolly Dawn and Her Dawn Patrol, well-known bandleaders who didn’t play an instrument, the “fastest girl drummer in the world,” a West Indian big band leader and so much more!

On this weeks MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM Jeff Bressler features two regal names, a great depression musical sales item, Frank Sinatra has the kids screaming and swaying, Glenn Miller’s first female singer, a popular bandleader who has to wait 12 years for his first record hit, an organist grinds it out, a Bunny Berigan classic solo, some early R&B and a whole lot more music and stories.

A wonderful MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM this week on public and community radio stations across the US and UK as we look at a marvelous big band era French jazz and swing quintet, a singer who liked being off the radar, a Broadway flop that still produced a musical gem, artists who produced popular 1st-time recordings, a little known big band star, an orchestra leader who was actually a laugh, some Kans...

On this weeks edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM heard on public and community radio stations around the country: a Benny Goodman Band members universal achievement, the musical history of a famous telephone number, a mid-big band show – no show, what happened when you turn a band upside down and some roadhouse productivity along with the music of the Andrews Sisters, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman...

On this weeks MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM over Public Broadcasting and Community Radio stations across the county we feature Gene Krupa, Anita O’Day and Ray Eldridge along with a little boogie with Will Bradley, Freddie Slack and Ray McKinley, a Nat King Cole legend, Ginny Simms sings with Kay Kyser, a monumental Battle of the Bands, also Bing Crosby, Connie Boswell, Count Basie and much more!

On this weeks MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM Louis Armstrong and his small band the Hot Five, Larry Clinton and his Orchestra, in addition to Cab Calloway we can’t forget his famous sibling, the Chairman of the Board with a novelty tune, Dick Jurgens and Eddy Howard, the priceless International Sweethearts of Rhythm, the Mills Brothers and England’s own Sid Phillips.

A wonderful MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM this week as we visit Harry James and his lucky number, Les Brown and His Band of Renown seven decades of music, a Tommy Dorsey “larceny”, the Hit of the Week record label, little remembered Ray Perry, great sideman Dave Tough, and a Glen Island Casino remembrance. Also, music by Glenn Miller, Lionel Hampton and much more!

On this weeks edition of the Make Believe Ballroom - The story of a song title, a look at big band era fate, the salaries of black band musicians, the great trumpet sideman Johnny Best, the history of Soundies along with the wonderful music of the Delta Rhythm Boys, Ella Fitzgerald, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Will Bradley and his Orchestra, Bob Crosby and so much more!

On this weeks MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM, some wonderful small group swing, a hot Charlie Barnet tale, “V-Discs, the great arranger Vic Shoen plus more music with Phil Harris, Ella Fitzgerald, The Andrews Sisters, and a whole lot more!

On this edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM, we look at Big Band era stars whose careers extended into the 50s and beyond, interviews and music of Tex Beneke and Margret Whiting and a historic recording by "Illinois" Jacquet plus a whole lot more swing and jazz!

Join us in the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM. On this week’s show Jess Stacy’s Monumental Solo. The Andrews Sisters 13 Weeks with Glenn Miller. Red Norvo, the only xylophonist to lead a big band! Reminiscences and music with Harry James, Benny Goodman and Bea Wain. Additional music by The Rhythm Boy’s, Mildred Bailey, Larry Clinton Orchestra, Paul Whiteman, Ted Heath, Dick Haymes and Frank Sinatra.

On this edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM. Is it Eberle or Eberly? Bille Holiday’s tenuous relationship with Artie Shaw. Along the way wonderful music by Perry Como, Freddie Slack and Ella Mae Morse, Jimmie Lunsford, Count Basie with Jimmy Rushing, and a whole lot more!

From the Crystal Studio in the Make Believe Ballroom a fun and fast hour this week. Great vintage interviews serve as companions to the music of Connie Haines and Martha Tilton. Hollywood stars meet big band singers in an unusual way. Reminisces of Guy Lombardo living on Long Island. Great music from the Murphy Sisters, Vaughn Monroe, Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole and...

From the Crystal Studio of the Make Believe Ballroom some great reminiscences, history and stories wrapped around the classic music of Glenn Miller, Chick Webb, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman, Ray Anthony Kay Kyser, Ish Kabble, Jo Stafford, Bunny Berrigan, Ted Heath, Bing Crosby, the Andrews Sisters, the Boswell Sisters and a whole lot more! Listen for a great interview as Ray Anthony explains his...

From the Crystal Studio of the Make Believe Ballroom some great reminiscences, history and stories wrapped around the classic music of Glen Miller, Ivy Benson, the Modernaires, Chick Webb, Ella Fitzgerald, Vera Lynn, Ray Noble, the Mills Brothers, Ted Weems, Benny Goodman and a whole lot more.

On this weeks edition of MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM songs and stories featuring the De Marco Sisters and a nickname given to a star, how the song Linda got its name, how the song Beyond the Sea changed from an ode to the sea to a love song, why it took so long to get Mairzy Doats recorded, the underrated Charioteers, a special song for the troops, the tragedy of Russ Columbo and part 2 of an interview...

This week featuring great stories, reminiscences, and music featuring, the King Sisters, Bing Crosby, Jimmy Durante, Kate Smith, Frank Sinatra, Pearl Bailey, Count Basie,, Jack Teagarden, Billy Mills, Benny Carter, the Ink Spots and Ella Fitzgerald. ​ ​

Hi folks, I’m jeff Bressler, turning on the lights of the Make Believe Ballroom and welcoming you into the Crystal Studio for another program of the greats hits of the 1930s and 1940s. I’m hosting the show in the hope of keeping the music and traditions of past hosts Martin Block, Al Jarvis, William B Williams, and Steve Allen alive. So let’s get this week's singing and dance ballroom party underw...