The Wonderful Era of the Great Dance Bands [Hardcover]

Leo Walker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1972

Organized, lucid, and definitive, The Wonderful Era of the Great Dance Bands presents a complete coverage of the spectacular reign of the dance bands during Prohibition, wartime, and the postwar boom. Leo Walker’s knowledge, gleaned from firsthand association with the music business and its prominent people, is matched only by his unbounded enthusiasm for the music he writes about. Here he recounts more than three decades of entertainment, tracing the growth of the bands from the early small combos to the days when many boasted thirty men including large string sections and seven or eight vocalists. The over 400 pictures include the first organized dance orchestras, the big bands of the twenties in which the popular leaders of the swing era got their start, and all of America’s favorite band leaders. This authoritative chronicle of one of the nation’s most colorful eras is sure to evoke fond memories in those old enough to remember it, and instill yearnings for halcyon days in younger readers as well.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Leo Walker played trumpet in several Midwest territory bands of the '30s. For ten years he operated his own booking agency in Hollywood where he specialized in handling big bands. A former president of the Hollywood Press Club, he is the author of The Wonderful Era of the Great Dance Bands, and founder of the Big Band Academy of America.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Doubleday (June 1972)
• ISBN-10: 0385045603
• ISBN-13: 978-0385045605
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,809,582 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Dance Band Era, September 26, 2005

By 

Bomojaz (South Central PA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wonderful Era Of The Great Dance Bands (Da Capo Paperback) (Paperback)

Rather than merely compiling an encyclopedic listing of various dance bands, Leo Walker has wisely chosen to write a history of the dance band era. From its formative years in the early 1920's, to the full blossoming of its style in the 1930's, to its reigning years around WW II, to its ultimate decline in the 1950's (a victim of many forces, including television and the rise of rock 'n' roll), Walker relates the impact of this popular phenomenon on the music world and the culture in general. He also devotes chapters to the recording industry, gigs, movies and other segments of the business. Again the emphasis is on general trends rather than on the specific doings of particular bands. The book opens with the question, "Whatever happened to the big dance band business?" When you get to the end of the book, you should have a very adequate answer.