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

Unprocessed materials

 

Scores 14315

 

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.
 

Recordings 14316

 

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.