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Paula Kelly & The Modernaires

Biography

Paula Kelly

[AllMusic]

b. 13 October 1919, USA, d. 2 April 1992, Costa Mesa, California, USA. An excellent band and ensemble singer with a vivacious personality, Kelly began her career in 1937 with top saxophonist Dick Stabile's band, and then spent two years with Al Donahue. She joined Glenn Miller in 1941 as a featured singer with the Modernaires vocal group; her husband, Hal Dickinson, was founder-leader. Early in 1941 Kelly appeared in the first Glenn Miller movie, Sun Valley Serenade, in which the Modernaires sang classics such as 'Chattanooga Choo Choo' and 'I Know Why'. Later in the year she left Miller when former vocalist Marion Hutton rejoined the band. For a while Kelly sang with Artie Shaw, and then for Bob Allen's band. In the mid-40s she rejoined the Modernaires when the group expanded to five. In the 50s they appeared in clubs and theatres, toured with Bob Crosby, and sang on his radio and television shows. They also featured with Crosby, Frankie Laine and Billy Daniels in the movie When You're Smiling (1950), and in The Glenn Miller Story (1954). After Dickinson died on 18 November 1970, Kelly and the Modernaires worked with ex-Miller sideman Tex Beneke's band and Miller's original boy vocalist, Ray Eberle, riding on the nostalgia boom of the 70s. Kelly's records with the Modernaires included 'Juke Box Saturday Night', 'There! I've Said It Again', 'You Belong To My Heart', 'Goody Goody', 'Margie' and 'Stop, Look And Listen'. With Dick Stabile she recorded 'Lost And Found' and 'My Heart Is Taking Lessons'; with Al Donahue, 'Jeepers Creepers', 'Moon Love', 'The Lambeth Walk', 'Stairway To The Stars' and 'South American Way'; and with Artie Shaw, 'Someone's Rocking My Dreamboat' and 'I Don't Want To Walk Without You'. Kelly retired in 1978, and in the late 80s her daughter, Paula Kelly Jnr. (b. 21 October 1943), was reported to be singing an updated version of 'Juke Box Saturday Night' with the Modernaires, accompanied by a 15-piece band led by the same Tex Beneke.

The Modernaires

Greg Prato [allmusic.com]

The harmony vocal group the Modernaires originally formed in Buffalo, NY, in 1935 (all of its members were high school pals), and were best known for singing with orchestras. Starting off as a trio (including members Hal Dickinson, Chuck Goldstein, and Bill Conway), the group would often assume a different name during these engagements, going by the Don Juan-Two and Three when they performed with the Ted Fio Rito Orchestra and the Three Wizards of Ozzie during a stint with the Ozzie Nelson Band. Soon after, the Modernaires expanded to a quartet with the addition of member Ralph Brewster, as they joined Paul Whiteman's musical organization in 1937, leading to performances on his radio show.

The Modernaires received their big break two years later, when the one-and-only Glenn Miller asked them to record a sequel to his big hit ''Make Believe Ballroom,'' titled ''It's Make Believe Ballroom Time,'' as they began performing regularly around the world with the Miller Band. Further hits with Miller soon followed, including ''Chattanooga Choo Choo,'' ''Kalamazoo,'' ''I Know Why,'' and ''Juke Box Saturday Night,'' as the Modernaires welcomed another member, Paula Kelley, to their ranks (who was the wife of Dickinson). The Modernaires were handpicked by Frank Sinatra in 1950 to back him up, as the group continued to record and perform steadily until 1958.