Always

Ralph Flanagan was one of the major figures of the Big Band Swing era. Born in Loraine, Ohio in 1919 he began piano lessons at the age of seventeen. He went on to learn to write arrangements and soon joined Sammy Kaye and his Swing and Sway Orchestra as pianist/arranger. In 1942 he joined the Merchant Marines and became a member of the Maritime Band. In 1946 he was discharged and became staff arranger for Perry Como as well as writing for Charlie Barnet, Tony Pastor, Boys Raeburn, etc. In 1946 he formed his own orchestra and began to issue records under his own name. Ralph had a style reminiscent of the Glenn Miller Band and in fact used a number of the Miller musicians. Some of the personnel that can be heard on this selection of tracks recorded between 1946 and 1953 are: Bobby Hackett, Dale McMickle, Bernie Privin, Buddy Morrow, Toots Mondello, Al Klink, Ernie Caceres, Carmen Mastren Billy Butterfield, Bob Haggart Will Bradley and Trigger Alpert. Tracks Are: Always; St Louis Blues; Tell Me Why (vocals: Harry Prime); My Hero; Penthouse Serenade; Don't Cry Joe (vocals: Harry Prime); It Might As Well Be Spring; Some Enchanted Evening; Mona Lisa (vocals: Harry Prime); Stars And stripes Forever; Joshua; Never The Less (vocals: The Singing Winds); On The Road To Mandalay; The Blues From An American In Paris; The Wang Wang Blues (vocals: Harry Prime and The Singing Winds); Baltimore Rag; Tippin' In; Love Is Here To Stay (vocals: Harry Prime and The Singing Winds); Hot Toddy; Serenade; Rub-A-Dub-Dub; Singing Winds;