I hope this information will help add to the research. I remembered reading an obituary of a female vocalist who first sang “Dream a Little Dream”, in my local paper in Vero Beach, Florida, some years ago. I have just spent an hour trying to find it again and I did — the vocalist was Adele Haehlen Lowe and here is the relevant text from the obituary:
“Adele Haehlen Lowe, born February 2, 1916 in West Allis, Wisconsin, died September 5, 2007 in Overland Park, Kansas…. In the 1930's, Adele was the featured vocalist with the Billy Baer Band and was heard regularly on radio broadcasts in Milwaukee. The band performed at venues in and around that area and also at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago and Bear Mountain Resort in New York. A member of the band, Don Swan, wrote a song for Adele that became her signature closing number. Over the decades "Dream a Little Dream of Me" was recorded by a number of vocalists including Bing Crosby, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald and Mama Cass Elliot. It was at an engagement of the band for her future sister-in-law, Evelyn Lowe's sorority dance that Adele met Ralph. They married in 1940 and she excelled at her chosen career as devoted wife and loving mother.”
"Dreams that I thought would surely come through, dear." Not to put too fine a point on this (the splitting of hairs is not my style) but I believe the lyric should read "true" not "through."
Grafton, WI, may not have a Broadway, but it was the home of the New York Recording Laboratory. Broadway was one of its labels but the best known was Paramount. Incidentally, IMO, no interpretation of "Dream" is as good as that by Ella and Basie, on the LP of that name.
Sam thank you for this. David Lennick just wrote to remind me of the connection between Paramount Records & Broadway Records, so yes! And you're right, the Ella-Basie version is awesome.
Will, I'm sitting here with my sister Heidi. All our lives we have believed that the melody to "Dream a Little Dream of Me" was actually written by Milton Adolphus [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Adolphus], who played piano and arranged in the big band scene and was a close friend of our parents in his later years. Heidi and I knew Milton in our youths and can verify he was a modest man. Milton's son Stephen Adolphus is alive and well and we'll try to get further details from him. What our dad remembered Milton saying is he sold the tune to Gus Kahn, for something like 25 bucks.
Fascinating! I can't see how that would fit into the chronology - we have evidence that the song was being played in Grafton WI before Gus Kahn heard it - but a fascinating story. I keep thinking it must have been some other song that Adolphus sold for $25. Love to Heidi!
Is out possible that Cass' musicians couldn't play in Ab, so they went to A, being an easier and better guitar/rock key?
Oh. that does sound logical! that probably does explain it. Thanks!
I hope this information will help add to the research. I remembered reading an obituary of a female vocalist who first sang “Dream a Little Dream”, in my local paper in Vero Beach, Florida, some years ago. I have just spent an hour trying to find it again and I did — the vocalist was Adele Haehlen Lowe and here is the relevant text from the obituary:
“Adele Haehlen Lowe, born February 2, 1916 in West Allis, Wisconsin, died September 5, 2007 in Overland Park, Kansas…. In the 1930's, Adele was the featured vocalist with the Billy Baer Band and was heard regularly on radio broadcasts in Milwaukee. The band performed at venues in and around that area and also at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago and Bear Mountain Resort in New York. A member of the band, Don Swan, wrote a song for Adele that became her signature closing number. Over the decades "Dream a Little Dream of Me" was recorded by a number of vocalists including Bing Crosby, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald and Mama Cass Elliot. It was at an engagement of the band for her future sister-in-law, Evelyn Lowe's sorority dance that Adele met Ralph. They married in 1940 and she excelled at her chosen career as devoted wife and loving mother.”
Here is a link to the obituary:
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/kansascity/name/adele-lowe-obituary?id=4335316
Apparently Wilbur Schwandt was also known as Don Swan:
https://www.discogs.com/artist/324784-Don-Swan
Perhaps Gus Kahn heard about the song when the band played at Bear Mountain Resort, NY?
That Lietzke record is fascinating. John Wilby played it for me years ago. (Broadway was the remnants of the Paramount label but you knew that.)
"Dreams that I thought would surely come through, dear." Not to put too fine a point on this (the splitting of hairs is not my style) but I believe the lyric should read "true" not "through."
Yes, I'm sure you are correct, I was transcribing too quickly! Now when anybody wants to sing the original lyric, this is the word to use! Yes!
Grafton, WI, may not have a Broadway, but it was the home of the New York Recording Laboratory. Broadway was one of its labels but the best known was Paramount. Incidentally, IMO, no interpretation of "Dream" is as good as that by Ella and Basie, on the LP of that name.
Sam thank you for this. David Lennick just wrote to remind me of the connection between Paramount Records & Broadway Records, so yes! And you're right, the Ella-Basie version is awesome.
Will, I'm sitting here with my sister Heidi. All our lives we have believed that the melody to "Dream a Little Dream of Me" was actually written by Milton Adolphus [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Adolphus], who played piano and arranged in the big band scene and was a close friend of our parents in his later years. Heidi and I knew Milton in our youths and can verify he was a modest man. Milton's son Stephen Adolphus is alive and well and we'll try to get further details from him. What our dad remembered Milton saying is he sold the tune to Gus Kahn, for something like 25 bucks.
Fascinating! I can't see how that would fit into the chronology - we have evidence that the song was being played in Grafton WI before Gus Kahn heard it - but a fascinating story. I keep thinking it must have been some other song that Adolphus sold for $25. Love to Heidi!
Even Second Hand Songs has caught wind of it!
https://secondhandsongs.com/work/10907
Well, this isn't proof, but clearly someone else believes our theory!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_That_Jazz_(Ella_Fitzgerald_album) [Track 1!]
https://jaz.fandom.com/wiki/Dream_A_Little_Dream_Of_Me_(song)
Hi Will!