Jack Berch (August 26, 1907 or 1911Grunwald, Edgar A., Ed. (1940). ''Variety Radio Directory 1940-1941''. Variety, Inc. P. 877. – December 10, 1992) was an American baritone singer best known for his

radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...

variety/talk programsDeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 30. from 1935 to 1954.

Early years

Berch was born in

Sigel, Illinois Sigel is an incorporated town in Shelby County, Illinois, United States. The population was 329 at the 2020 census. The town was named after Franz Sigel, (1824–1902), a Union general in the American Civil War. Geography Sigel is located at ( ...

, where his father ran a general store. Following his father's death, Berch began working after school as a stock boy in a dry goods store when he was "about 11 years old". His primary and secondary education came in

Effingham, Illinois Effingham is a city in and the county seat of Effingham County, Illinois, Effingham County, Illinois, United States. It is in South Central Illinois. Its population was 12,252 at the 2020 census. The city is part of the Effingham, IL Micropolita ...

. Berch graduated from St. Viator College. During his college years, he was a dishwasher and played drums for a dance band. He later worked as a door-to-door coffee salesman who sang as he approached the door of a house. When one potential customer in Youngstown, Ohio, turned out to be the wife of the manager of radio station WKBN, that led to an audition.

Radio

Berch's first job on radio was at WKBN. He had dual roles as a singer and an announcer, "introducing himself in one voice and singing in another. Then he would thank himself for the performance." He also worked at

WLW WLW (700 AM) is a commercial news/talk radio station licensed to Cincinnati, Ohio. Owned by iHeartMedia, WLW is a clear-channel station, often identifying itself as The Big One. WLW operates with around the clock. Its daytime signal provides ...

in Cincinnati,

WTAM WTAM (1100 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, and carries a news/ talk/sports format commonly known as "Newsradio WTAM 1100". Owned by iHeartMedia, WTAM serves Greater Cleveland and much of surrounding Northeast Oh ...

in Cleveland and WOAI in San Antonio. Berch was the star of '' The Jack Berch Show'', a variety/talk program that was broadcast on

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, Mutual and

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at various times from 1935 to 1954. His programs at times went by other names, including ''The Kitchen Pirate'' (1935–36) and ''The Sweetheart Serenader'' (1939–1941). A comment published in the trade publication ''Radio Daily'' said, "The singing of Berch is particularly well designed to give the day a sunny sendoff." At times, he also wrote scripts and worked as an announcer and producer on other people's programs.

Recording

In 1950, Berch signed a contract with

RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also Aris ...

to make recordings in both children's and popular music genres.

Personal life

Berch was married to the former Margo Orwig. They had a son, Jon, and daughters Carol, Shirley, and Mollie.

Death

Berch died on December 10, 1992, in

Jamaica, New York Jamaica is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It is mainly composed of a large commercial and retail area, though part of the neighborhood is also residential. Jamaica is bordered by Hollis to the east; St. Albans, Springf ...

Partial discography

*''Shenanigans''/''The Greatest Mistake of My Life'' - 1949 with The Charlie Magnante Trio (London 559) *''The Letter I Forgot to Mail''/''Kemo Kimo'' - 1949 with The Charlie Magnante Trio (Regent 144) *''Bibbi-Di Bobba-Di Boo''/''Cinderella'' - 1950 with The Mullen Sisters and The Charlie Magnante Trio (London 20012) *''Sunday School Songs (Parts I & II)'' - 1950 (Victor 470222) *''The Teddy Bear's Picnic''/''Me and My Teddy Bear'' - 1950 with the

Henri René Henri René (born Harold Manfred Kirchstein; December 29, 1906 – April 25, 1993), was an American musician who had an international career in the recording industry as a producer, composer, conductor and arranger. Early years Born in New York ...

Orchestra (Victor 47–0225) *''The Little Lost Sheep'' - 1952 (Bibletone KL 221)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Berch, Jack 20th-century births 20th-century American musicians RCA Victor artists 1992 deaths Radio personalities from Illinois People from Shelby County, Illinois 20th-century American singers 20th-century American male singers