Finding aid for the Ray Herbeck Los Angeles Swing Band records
1003
USC Libraries Music Library
2014 August
Doheny Memorial Library, G-24
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California 90089-1822
music@usc.edu
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Music Library
Title: Ray Herbeck Los Angeles Swing Band records
Creator:
Herbeck, Ray
Identifier/Call Number: 1003
Physical Description:
70.979 Linear Feet
65 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1934-1958
Abstract: The Ray Herbeck Los Angeles Swing Band Collection consists of original scores and various chart arrangements, band photographs,
concert reviews, recording and performance contracts, advertisements, and more.
Language of Material:
English.
Biographical / Historical
Ray Herbeck (1910-1989) was born in Los Angeles and attended USC in the early 1930s. He formed his band in 1935, and over
the next 20 years performed at nearly every major ballroom of that era. During WWII he made over 300 USO camp show appearances.
His numerous recordings were issued on Vocalion, Columbia, and OKeh Records.
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of original scores and various chart arrangements, band photographs, concert reviews, recording and
performance contracts, advertisements, and mor from band leader Ray Herbeck (1910-1989), who attended the University of Southern
California in the early 1930s. He formed his band in 1935 and his numerous recordings were issued on Vocalion, Columbia, and
OKeh Records.
Conditions Governing Access
Advance notice required for access.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian.
Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended
to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Ray Herbeck, Jr., February 2002.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder no. or item name], Ray Herbeck Los Angeles Swing Band records, Collection no. 1003, Special Collections, USC Libraries,
University of Southern California
Processing Information
This collection is unprocessed.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Big bands -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Legal documents
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- History -- Archival resources
Photographs
Scores
Swing (Music) -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Herbeck, Ray -- Archives
Box 1, Box 2, Box 3, Box 4, Box 5, Box 6, Box 7, Box 8, Box 9, Box 10, Box 11, Box 12, Box 13, Box 14, Box 15, Box 16, Box 17, Box 18, Box 19, Box 20, Box 21, Box 22, Box 23, Box 24, Box 25, Box 26, Box 27, Box 28, Box 29, Box 30, Box 31, Box 32, Box 33, Box 34, Box 35, Box 36, Box 37, Box 38, Box 39, Box 40, Box 41, Box 42, Box 43, Box 44, Box 45, Box 46, Box 47, Box 48, Box 49, Box 50, Box 51, Box 52, Box 53, Box 54, Box 55, Box 56, Box 57, Box 58, Box 59, Box 60, Box 61, Box 62, Box 63, Box 64, Box 65
Arrangements 14314
1935-1950
Arrangements
Arrangements written for piano, bass, drums, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, 4-5 saxophones, 3 violins, and voice. Individual parts
are missing from some of the arrangements.
502 total arrangements. Titles are listed below.
A beautiful lady in blue
A Friend of Yours
A good man is hard to find
A Good Man is Hard to Find
A Kiss Goodnight
A Little on the Lonely Side
A Room with a View
A tree in the meadow
Adobe hacienda
Adorable
After you've gone
Ain't cha ever comin' back, ain't cha?
Alamo
Alexander's Ragtime Band
All of me
All of my Life
All or nothing at all
All the things you are
All Through the Day
Always
And her tears flowed like wine
And Mimi
And so to sleep again
Angel
Angry
Anitra's Dance
Anniversary song
Answer is yes
Anything goes
Anytime
Anywhere
April in Paris
April showers
Ask anyone who knows
Atchison, Topeka
Atlanta, GA
Auld Lang Syne
Aye, Aye, Aye
B flat minor concerto
Baby face
Ballerina
Bathtub
Be Anything
Be my life's companion
Be My Love
Because of you
Beer barrel samba
Begin the beguine
Bewitched
Billy
Blacksmith Blues
Blue Bird of Happiness
Blue Hawaii
Blue of evening
Blues skies
Body and soul
Brazil
Broken heart
Brush Those Tears
But beautiful
But I Love You
But Me, I Love You
But not for me
Buttons and bows
Candy
Can't we be friends
Can't We Be Friends?
Can't You Read Between the Lines
Celito Linda
Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy
Chi-Ba-Ba
Chickery Chick
Chico Chico
Chiquita
Cinderella Jones
Clair de Lune
Coax Me A Little Bit
Coffee Song
Cold cold heart
Come Rain or Come Shine
Come to Baby Do
Cornish rhapsody
Could be
Crazy rhythm
Cuddle up a little closer
Cuddles
Czardas
Daddyâ??s Little Girl
Daddy
Daddy, surprise me
Dance with a dolly
Dancing in the dark
Dark Eyes
Dear Hearts
Dearie
Deep Purple
Deep river
Deep Valley
Diane
Dick Jurgen's Medley
Dime A Dozen
Disillusioned (Tango)
Do Something
Do You Love Me
Does your heart beat for me?
Domino
Donkey Serenade
Don't
Don't blame me
Don't cry
Don't You Know I Care
Dreamin' Away
East of the sun
Easter parade
Emperor waltz
Encore, Cherie
Every day I love you just a little bit more
Every Time We Say Goodbye
Everything I have belongs to you
Ev'ry Time
Feudin', Fightin', and A Fussin'
First night
Fit As A Fiddle
Five foot two
Flamingos and Moonlight
For the first time
For Your, For Me, Forever More
Full Moon and Empty Arms
Gal in Calico
Gimme A Little Kiss
Gimme A Little Kiss
Girl that I marry
Give Me Five Minutes More
Glad I Waited
God's Country
Golden cowboy
Golliwog
Good night sweetheart
Good, Good, Good
Got to find someone to love
Gotta Be This or That
Grieg concerto
Guess I'll Get the Papers and Go Home
Hail, hail, the gang's all here
Harbor Lights
Haunted heart
Hawaiian war chant
He kissed her where she sat
Heartbreaker
Heaven
Hey Good Looking
Hold Me
Holiday for Strings
Home
Homework
How blue the night
How High the Moon
How many hearts have you broken?
How soon
I apologize
I believe
I Can't Begin to Tell You
I can't get started
I didn't know
I don't care if the sun don't shine
I Don't Know Enough About You
I Don't Know Why
I dream of you
I get the blues when it rains
I Gotta Have My Baby Back
I just can't see for lookin'
I love you truly
I may be wrong
I Miss Those Little Things
I Never Knew I Could Love Anybody
I never mention
I Remember
I Said My Pajamas
I Should Care
I surrender, dear
I understand
I wanna be loved
I wanna go home
I want my mama
I Was Here When You Left Me
I wish I didn't love you so
I Wish I Knew
I Wonder
I won't cry anymore
I won't dance
I'd Be Lost Without You
I'd've Baked A Cake
If I Loved You
If you please
Ill
I'll Always Love You
I'll Buy That Dream
I'll get by
I'll walk alone
I'm A Big Girl Now
I'm confessin' that I love you
I'm Gonna Love That Guy
I'm gonna see my baby
I'm just wild about Harry
I'm young
In Acapulco
Is you is, or is you ain't my baby?
It Couldn't Be True
It had to be you
It Had To Be You
It Takes Time
It Was Nice
It's a good day
It's A Pity to Say Goodnight
It's a sad day
It's a sin
It's all in the game
It's Been A Long, Long Time
It's Dreamtime
It's magic
It's nice to have a man
It's no sin
It's Wonderful
It's You
I've got a feelin' I'm falling
I've Got A Locket in my Pocket
I've Got the Sun in the Morning, etc.
I've Got You Under My Skin
I've heard that song before
Jazz me blues
Jealousy
Johnson Rag
Josephine
Jungle dreams
Just for now
Just one more chance
Kilroy
Kokomo, Indiana
La Cumparsita
Last goodbye
Last two weeks of July
Laughing on the Outside
Laura
Learn to love
Let It Snow
Letter
Lil' Boy Love
Lilly Belle
Linger Baby
Little Fellow
Little George
Little Girl from Little Rock
Little grass shack
Lonely Love
Long ago and far away
Love Flies Out the Window
Love in Vain
Love is here to stay
Love me or leave me
Love of my life
Ma, He's Makin' Eyes at Me
Magic is the moonlight
Magpie Blues
Mammy Bong
Mam'selle
Manana
Margie
Maria, My Own
Meanderin'
Medley (16)
Melancholy Baby You were meant for me
Mexicali Rose
Mexico City
Middle of May
Milkman, keep those bottles quiet
Miss you
Mockingbird Hill
Moon Mist
More, More, More
Mother Machree
Mrs Murphy
Music Music
My blue heaven
My foolish heart
My happiness
My heart cries for you
My heart stood still
My honey's lovin' arms
My silent love
My Sin
My wild Irish rose
My Wonderful One
Navaho Trail
Near You
Nevada
Never
Nevertheless
Night and day
No Tomorrow
Nobody but you
Not For A Farm in Georgia
Now that I need love
Nuff said
Oh, What It Seemed to Be
Old piano roll blues
Ole Buttermilk Sky
One O'Clock Jump
One You Love
Onesy Twosy
Only make believe
Oo-Goo, The Little Worm
Oooh! Look-A There, Ain't She Pretty?
Open the Door, Richard
Orange blossom
Out of nowhere
Patience and Fortitude
Peg of my heart
Pennsylvania polka
Personality
Peter Cottontail
Pistol packin' mama
Playmates
Poinciana
Possum Song
Prisionero del Mar
Quick Silver
Ragtime Cowboy Joe
Ragtime Cowboy Joe
Rambling Rose
Rhapsody in Rhumba
Rockin' horse ran away
Rosemary
S Wonderful
Samba
Saturday date
Saturday night
Say it with music
Say Si Si
Sentimental journey
Sentimental Me
September Song
Sepulveda
Serenade of the bells
Shanghai
Shanty in Old Shanty Town
Shantytown
Shauny O'Shea
Shiek of Araby
Shoo shoo baby
Shoo-Fly Pie
Singing in the rain
Sleepy time gal
Sleigh ride in July
Slippin Around
Smoke gets in your eyes
So far
So in love
So rare
Solitaire
Some one who cares
Somebody loves me
Somewhere in the Night
Sooner or later
South America, Take it Away
Stars in Your Eyes
Stormy weather
Straighten up and fly right
Stranger in Town
Sunday
Sunflower
Sunnyside of the street
Sunshine Cake
Sweet and lovely
Sweet dreams sweetheart
Sweet sixteen
Sweetheart in Sigma Chi
Swing low sweet Harriet
Symphony
Take it East
Take it easy
Tale of Vienna Woods
Talk of the Town
Tallahassee
Tea for two
Tell me why
Temptation
Tennessee Waltz
That old black magic
That old gang of mine
That's A Plenty
That's For Me
That's my desire
That's My Home
That's my weakness now
The 3rd Man Theme
The Best Man
The Blues
The Continental
The dream peddler
The Gypsy
The Lady from Twenty-Nine Palms
The lady is a tramp
The More I See You
The night is young
The One I Love
The one rose
The things we did last summer
The Thrill of A New Romance
The very thought of you
There goes that song again
There's No One But You
There's No You
These foolish things
They Say It's Wonderful
Thine alone
Thinking of you
This is Always
Til the End of Time
Till we meet again
Time after time
Time stood still
Time waits for no one
Tis Me or Ya Gotta Get Out
To Each His Own
To you, sweetheart, aloha
Tomorrow is Forever
Too fat polka
Too Many Irons in the Fire
Too Many Times
Too Young
Trees
Trolly song
Twelth Street Rag
Twighlight time
Two loves have I
Two sleepy people
Uncle Ray
Velvet
Vitamin Pills
Waiting
Walter Winchell Rhumba
Waltz Medley (#1)
Waltz Medley (#2)
Warsaw Concerto
Watch maker
Way down yonder in New Orleans
We just couldn't say goodbye
We Knew It
Western Style
What Am I Gonna Do?
What do I have to do?
What is This Thing Called Love
What'll I Do
What's Wrong With Me
When day is done
When Irish eyes are smiling
Where are you?
Whiffen' Poof Song
Whispering
White Christman
Who Told You That Lie?
Who took me home last night?
Who's got all the dough?
Who's sorry now?
Why can't
Why Does It Get So Late, My Honey
Why Shouldn't it Happen to Us?
Wind and rain in your hair
Wonder Why
Woodchopper's Ball
Would I Love You
Wrap your troubles in dreams
Wrong
Wumba
Yah-Ta-Ta
You must have beeen a beautiful baby
You stepped out of a dream
You Won't Be Satisfied
You'd be so easy to love
You'll Always Be the One I Love
You're just in love
You're the rainbow
You're Wonderful
Yours
You've Got Me Cryin' Again
Sheet Music 15559
1934-1945
Sheet Music
This series contains published sheet music performed by Ray Herbeck.
41 items total.
...and so I do
A little on the lonely side
All this and heaven too
Blue tears (Larmes bleues)
But it didn't mean a thing
By a shrine in Italy
Clouds
Devil may care
Don't look now
Ev'ry single little tingle of my heart
Fun for all
Georgia's got a moon
Heaven can wait
I can't resist you
I double dare you
I only want a buddy...not a sweetheart
I remember (I was there)
I'll keep the lovelight burning
I'm stepping out with a memory to-night
It's easy to blame the weather
Josephine
Junior
Lonely street
My greatest mistake
My introduction to love
My tattle-tale heart
Oh baby
Once in a lovetime
Put on an old pair of shoes
Romance is everywhere
Romance runs in the family
Sailing through the sunbeams
Seems like a month of Sundays (Since I saw you Saturday night)
Shake down the stars
The bells of San Raquel (por ti aprendi a querer)
The call of the canyon
We three (my echo, my shadow and me)
When the swallows come back to Capistrano
When you dream about Hawaii
Whistling in the wildwood
Yesterthoughts
Arranged alphabetically in folders.
Photos 14321
1934-1958
Photos
This series contains tour and publicity photos.
1934 - The Tahoe Tavern. Place where "Music with Romance" was first used as a tag line. Includes a photo with Shirley Temple.
1936 - Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles, CA. Photo of Herbeck's first band.
1936 - Biltomore Hotel, Santa Barbara, CA. Photo of Herbeck's first band.
1939 - Elitch Gardens, Denver, CO.
1939, 1941, 1943, 1945 - Schroeder Hotel, Milwaukee, WI.
Contracts 15570
1940-1952
Contracts
This series contains contracts for engagements featuring Ray Herbeck. It also contains 3 letters from hotels (Hotel Claridge,
Edgewater Beach, and Schroeder Hotel) all turning down requests for performance contracts due to a downturn in public interest.
48 contracts with the Frederick Brothers Music Corporation.
2 contracts from Lang-Worth Feature Programs, Inc. (1940-1941) for sessions for syndication.
2 contracts from an unknown source.
These contracts are arranged by date (09/25/40-05/03/41).
55 items total.
Ephemera 14317
1940-1947
Ephemera
This series contains two items.
1 - "Paul Whiteman presents" poster for Ray Herbeck's first band.
1 - newspaper advertisement mat template. "In Person...Ray Herbeck and His Music with Romance" (circa 1940's)
1 - Ray Herbeck's band checkbook from 12/46-01/47. Lists 12 payments for musicians for New Year's Eve 1947 and payments to
the musicians union.
1 - Program and schedule for a performance at the Paramount Theatre in New York City on 12/14/40.
2 - play bills for performances. 1 from the Aragon on Thanksgiving evening (year unknown). 1 from the Aragon on New Year's
Eve (year unknown).
2 - letters of correspondance related to the performances listed on the play bills.
3 - business cards
1 - radio script from the Coca-Cola Spotlight Bands performance on 11/07/45.
4 - play bills from the Hotel Last Frontier in Las Vegas, NV.
16 items total.
Clippings 16090
Clippings
This sub-series contains newspaper clippings related to Ray Herbeck.
Records 14853
Records
This sub-series contains 78rpm audio recordings.
"Coca Cola spotlight bands" = 4 records recorded November 7, 1945.
4 records recorded in 1946 at the Aragon Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA. Vocals by Ray Cordell.
1 record recorded in 1948 at the Melody Mill Ballroom.
1 record recorded 03/26/50 at the Oh Henry Ballroom, Chicago, IL. Vocals by Lorraine Benson.
1 record recorded 03/29/50 at the Oh Henry Ballroom, Chicago, IL.
3 records recorded 03/30/50 at the Oh Henry Ballroom, Chicago, IL. Vocals by Lorraine Benson and Dick Booie.
11 records published by Okeh.
24 records published by Vocalion.
1 record published by Alvin Records.
3 records published by 4 Star.
2 records published by Star Records. 1 of the records is a 45rpm.
2 records recorded on 11/01/48 at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago, IL. Vocals by Lorraine Benson.
2 records recorded in 1948 at the Trianon Ballroom in Chicago, IL.
7 oversized records. 3 were recorded 02/26-27/48, 1 was recorded on 02/03/48, 1 was recorded on 03/09/48, and 1 was recorded
on 04/01/48 at the Rainbow Rendezvous, Salt Lake City, UT; 1 was recorded on 02/25/47 at Radio Rendezvous, Twin Falls, ID.
66 records total.
Reel-to-reel tapes 14319
1944-1950
Reel-to-Reel Tapes
This sub-series contains 12 reel-to-reel audio tapes of live performances by Ray Herbeck.
"Ray Herbeck Air Checks" Reel 1: contains 8 songs from a performance at the Ambassador Hotel on 08/26/45; 2 songs performed
on 05/09/46 at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, TN; and 10 songs performed on 12/10/46 at the Aragon Ballroom in Los Angeles,
CA.
"Ray Herbeck Air Checks" Reel 2: contains 6 songs recorded on 11/07/45; 6 songs performed (1 on 12/10/44, 2 on 12/17/44, and
3 in 1945) at the Hotel Edison, New York, NY; and 5 songs recorded for the radio station KFMB (2 on 08/12/45, 2 in 1946, and
1 in 1947).
"Ray Herbeck Air Checks" Reel 3: contains 13 songs performed at the St. Francis Hotel (4 on 02/26/45, 2 on 05/03/45, 2 on
05/03/45, 2 on 05/16/45, and 3 on 05/16/45); and 9 songs recorded in 1950 at the Oh Henry Ballroom in Chicago, IL.
"Ray Herbeck Singles" Reel 1: contains 23 songs.
"Ray Herbeck Singles" Reel 2: contains 26 songs.
"Ray Herbeck Singles" Reel 3: contains 16 songs.
"Ray Herbeck Singles" Reel 4: contains 21 songs.
"Ray Herbeck Singles" Reel 5: contains 22 songs.
"Ray Herbeck Remotes" Reel 1: contains 21 songs; 13 songs recorded on 02/26-27/48 in Salt Lake City, UT; and 4 songs recorded
on 02/25/47 in Twin Falls, ID.
"Ray Herbeck Remotes" Reel 2: contains 14 songs recorded on 02/03/48 and 03/09/48 in Salt Lake City, UT; and 6 songs recorded
in 1948 at the Trianon Ballroom in Chicago, IL.
"Ray Herbeck Remotes" Reel 3: contains 6 songs recorded on 08/14/45 and 9 songs recorded on 08/26/45 at the Ambassador Hotel
in Los Angeles, CA.
"Ray Herbeck Remotes" Reel 4: contains 4 songs recorded on 03/22/50 at the Oh Henry Ballroom in Chicago, IL.
Total = 12 audio tapes.
Cassette tapes 14320
1948
Cassette tapes
This sub-series contains the music of Ray Herbeck on 13 audio cassette tapes.
The dates and locations of the recordings are unknown unless otherwise listed.
One of the cassettes contains a recording of the Ray Herbeck Orchestra from 03/30/35 at the Cafe de Paree, Los Angeles, CA.
Cassette #3: side 2, songs #13-19 were recorded in 1948 at the Trianon Ballroom in Chicago, IL.
Vocals by Betty Benson, Lorraine Benson, Kirby Brooks, Carl Carter, Guy McComas, Hal Munbar, Ray Olsen, George Van
Periodicals 16100
1943-1996
Periodicals
This sub-series contains periodical publications.
Billboard Magazine (cover only), May 13, 1939: Ray Herbeck is on the cover.
Band Leaders Magazine, August 1943. Page 46: "The Rise of Ray", an article which mentions USC and provides a complete biography
of Ray Herbeck. Page 6: story on Jan Savitt with a photo of Lorraine Benson, who would join the band that same year and
go on to marry Ray.
The St. Francis edition of San Francisco Life, March 1945. Ray Herbeck is on the cover.
This Week in Salt Lake City, February 27-March 4, 1947. Lorrains Benson is on the cover and the Herbeck Band is on the back
cover.
Local 47 of the American Musicians Union "Overture", March 1989. P.12 contains an obituary of Ray Herbeck.
Jazzbeat Magazine, Winter/Spring 1996. P.31 features an advertisement for a Ray Herbeck CD. p.32 features a story on the
release of the CD "Ray Herbeck and His Music With Romance".
6 periodicals total.