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Dick Haymes was one of the most stylish and popular vocalists of the 1940s and ‘50s. He became one of the archetypal crooners of the era, known as ‘A Singer’s Singer’, as well as a movie star, appearing in screen musicals with the likes of Betty Grable. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1918, his family travelled extensively before settling in the United States when Haymes was an infant. Following a stint working as a stunt man and film double in Los Angeles, he moved to New York City, at the age of 19, where he worked as a vocalist in a number of big bands including the Harry James orchestra. In 1942, Frank Sinatra introduced Haymes on radio as his replacement in the Tommy Dorsey band. In order to avoid military service during World War II, Haymes asserted his inactive status as a citizen of Argentina, which remained neutral until almost the end of the war. Following the war he appeared regularly on popular radio shows of the day and this 54-track collection focuses on recordings of broadcasts from 1947 to 1962. It features performances from the NBC Bandstand Show 1956/1957 with Johnny Guarnieri at the piano, plus songs from The Dick Haymes Show, The Carnation Contented Hour and Melody Hour, as Guest Star on The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show and The Peggy Lee Show. It includes duets with Martha Tilton, Peggy Lee, Jane Wyman and Fran Jeffries. These are rarely heard recordings, brought together in this format for commercial release for the first time, so this is an absolute must for Dick Haymes fans.
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