Harry James

At 67 years old, Harry James physical status not available right now. We will update Harry James's height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, and measurements.

Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a major band from 1939 to 1946.

In 1947, he broke up his band for a short time, but shortly after reorganized and was playing again with his band from then until 1983, when he died in 1983.

He was especially well-known among musicians for his technical skill as well as his demeanor, and he was notably influential on young trumpet players from the 1930s to the 1940s.

He appeared in a number of films that often featured his band.

Early life

Harry James was born in Albany, Georgia, United States, and the son of Everett Robert James, a bandleader in a traveling circus, the Mighty Haag Circus, and Myrtle Maybelle (Stewart), an acrobat and horseback rider. He started playing with the circus at an early age, first as a contortionist at the age of four and then playing the snare drum in the group from about the age of six. At this time, James was almost trampled by the circus trick horses after he wandered into the circus track while doing their stunts, but his mother's pet horse, who stood over him until the other horses rushed by.

At age eight, James began learning trumpet lessons from his father, and by the time of twelve, he was leading the second band in the Christy Brothers Circus, which was also employed. James' father was placed on a strict daily exercise regimen. At every session, he was given several pages to learn from Arban's book and was not allowed to engage in any other pastime until he had learned them. He attended as a regular member of Beaumont High School's Royal Purple Band, and in May 1931, he took first place as the Texas Band Teacher's Association's Annual Eastern Division competition, held in Temple, Texas, as a student.

Personal life

James married three times, first to singer Louise Tobin on May 4, 1935, with whom he had two sons, Harry Jeffrey James (b. 1941 (b.) and Timothy Ray James (b.). 1942 (February) In 1943, the two married in 1943. He married actress Betty Grable later this year. Victoria Elizabeth (b.) and her two daughters were born in the United States. Born in 1944, Jessica (b. ), 1940) and Thomas (b. 1947 to 1965, before divorcing in 1965. Joan Boyd, a showgirl from Las Vegas, died in December 1967. Michael (b. ), the couple's son, was born in the United States. Before divorcing in 1970, the couple lived in 1968.

Many Thoroughbred racehorses had won championships such as the California Breeders' Champion Stakes (1951) and the San Vicente Stakes (1954). He was also a pioneer of the Atlantic City Race Course. During a 1958 appearance on The Lucy Debuti Comedy Hour entitled "Lucy Wins A Racehorse," he was shown his knowledge of horse racing.

James was a heavy smoker, drinker, and gambler. He was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer in 1983, but he went back to work. On June 26, 1983, he served his last professional work with the Harry James Orchestra in Los Angeles, only nine days later, in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 67. Frank Sinatra paid the eulogy at his funeral service, which took place in Las Vegas.

Source

Career

His family immigrated to Beaumont, Texas, in 1924. When James began playing in local dance bands when he was 15 years old, he was here in the early 1930s. James performed regularly with Herman Waldman's band, and nationally known Ben Pollack noticed him at one performance. In 1935, he joined Pollack's band but left at the beginning of 1937 to join Benny Goodman's orchestra, where he remained until 1938. "The Hawk" was a nickname early in his career for his ability to sight-read. Harry James would perform it if a fly landed on his written music, according to a common joke. His low range had a warmth that was synonymous with the cornet and even flugelhorn, but this performance was undercut in favour of James' stunning high register.

James debuted his own big band in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in January 1939, but it didn't click until adding a string section in 1941. Its successor, Harry James and His Music Makers, produced the hit "You Made Me Love You" which peaked at no. 1 last year. For the week ending November 18, 1941, Billboard's National Best Selling Retail Records chart has risen to 5 positions on the Billboard's Top 100 Most Popular Retailers chart. The single spent ten non-consecutive weeks in the Top Ten during its 18-week chart tenure from early November 1941 to late January 1942. Private Buckaroo and Springtime in the Rockies were two films directed by him and his bandmates (1942). As of July 2018, James toured with the band into the 1980s, and the Harry James Orchestra, led by Fred Radke, was still very active.

Frank Sinatra, the first high-profile orchestra to perform, had a one-year, $75 a week contract with it in 1939 ($1,589 a week in 2022). James wanted to change Sinatra's name to 'Frankie Satin,' but the singer refused. Sinatra spent seven months before leaving to join Tommy Dorsey's outfit. Helen Forrest, the band's best female vocalist, and his later band included drummer Buddy Rich and bassist Thurman Teague. Johnny MacAfee appeared on the sax and vocals, and Corky Corcoran, a youth sax prodigy, was among the many sax players on the album.

When Miller disbanded his orchestra to join the Army, James' orchestra succeeded Glenn Miller's on a program funded by Chesterfield Cigarettes in 1942. James and his orchestra had a summer replacement service for Danny Kaye's CBS show in 1945. He also supervised Call for Music, which was broadcast on CBS February 13, 1948 – April 16, 1948, and on NBC, May 20, 1948 – June 29, 1948.

James has released several hit albums and appeared in numerous Hollywood films. In the 1950 film Young Man with a Horn, he appeared on trumpets blasted Kirk Douglas. With James backing big band singer and actress Doris Day, the album from the movie debuted at number one on the charts, with James supporting major band singer and actress Doris Day. In the motion picture My Dog Skip (2000), James' recording of "I'm Beginning to See the Light" appears. His music appears in Hannah and Her Sisters, a Woody Allen film. In Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Marvel's Avengers: Endgame, James' recording of "It's Been a Long Time" is included.

Source