''The American Album of Familiar Music'' is a radio program of popular music broadcast from October 11, 1931, to June 20, 1954, first on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

, then on

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

and then on local stations. Directed by James Haupt, the show was produced by

Frank Frank or Franks may refer to: People * Frank (given name) * Frank (surname) * Franks (surname) * Franks, a medieval Germanic people * Frank, a term in the Muslim world for all western Europeans, particularly during the Crusades - see Farang Curr ...

and

Anne Hummert Anne Hummert (née Schumacher) (January 19, 1905 – July 5, 1996) was the leading creator of daytime radio serials or soap opera dramas during the 1930s and 1940s, responsible for more than three dozen series. Biography She was born in Baltimore ...

, better remembered today for creating ''

Ma Perkins ''Ma Perkins'' (sometimes called ''Oxydol's Own Ma Perkins'') is an American radio soap opera that was heard on NBC from 1933 to 1949 and on CBS from 1942 to 1960. It was also broadcast in Canada, and Radio Luxembourg carried it in Europe. The ...

'' and numerous other soap operas. Sponsored by

Bayer Aspirin Bayer AG (, commonly pronounced ; ) is a German multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company and one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Headquartered in Leverkusen, Bayer's areas of business include pharmaceutica ...

, the show highlighted performances by a variety of vocalists, instrumentalists, and vocal groups. When it began on October 11, 1931 on NBC, the lead vocalists were Frank Munn and

Virginia Rea Virginia Rea (born Virginia Earle Murphy) (March 28, 1897-July 1941)was an American coloratura soprano. She was billed as Olive Palmer when she appeared on ''The Palmolive Hour'' on radio. Early years Rea was born in March 1897 in Louisville, ...

, two of early radio's top stars because of their previous appearances as "Paul Oliver" and "Olive Palmer" on ''

The Palmolive Hour ''The Palmolive Hour'' is an American radio concert-variety program, sponsored by Palmolive Soap and broadcast on NBC from December 1927, to July 29, 1931. The Palmolive Musical Stock Company (aka the Palmolivers) offered a mix of jazz, show tun ...

'' (1927–31).

Ring Lardner Ringgold Wilmer Lardner (March 6, 1885 – September 25, 1933) was an American sports columnist and short story writer best known for his satirical writings on sports, marriage, and the theatre. His contemporaries Ernest Hemingway, Virginia Wo ...

observed, "under any name, they sound as sweet." Lardner outlined his "perfect radio program" for ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...

'' magazine, and found a place for

The Revelers The Revelers were an American quintet (four close harmony singers and a pianist) popular in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The Revelers' recordings of " Dinah", " Old Man River", "Valencia", "Baby Face", " Blue Room", "The Birth of the Blues", ...

along with

Paul Whiteman Paul Samuel Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was an American bandleader, composer, orchestral director, and violinist. As the leader of one of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s and early 1930s, ...

and

Fanny Brice Fania Borach (October 29, 1891 – May 29, 1951), known professionally as Fanny Brice or Fannie Brice, was an American comedienne, illustrated song model, singer, and theater and film actress who made many stage, radio, and film appearances. S ...

. In the late 1930s, Munn was joined on the program by soprano

Jean Dickenson Jean Dickenson (born ) is an American former singer. Early life Born in Montreal, Dickenson was the daughter of mining engineer Ernest Heathcote Dickenson and novelist May Dickenson. Her father's work took him to several countries, with the fam ...

(1937–51), "Nightingale of the Airwaves." Another co-star with Munn during that period was

Lucy Monroe Lucy Monroe (October 23, 1906 – October 13, 1987) was an American operatic soprano and dancer. She was noted for her performances of "The Star-Spangled Banner", the national anthem of the United States, which she performed for Presidents and a ...

, who sang ''The Star-Spangled Banner'' at every New York Yankees opening day and every Yankees World Series between 1945 and 1960. Other singers featured on the program were

Margaret Daum Margaret Daum (March 25, 1906 – February 23, 1977) was an American classical soprano. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Daum studied singing at the Ithaca Conservatory of Music where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1928. ...

Elizabeth Lennox Elizabeth Lennox (March 16, 1894 – May 3, 1992), also known as Louise Terrell, was an American contralto singer. She made over 150 musical recordings in the 1920s, on the Brunswick, Edison, Victor, and Columbia labels. Early life Elizabe ...

Vivian Della Chiesa Vivian Della Chiesa (October 9, 1915 – January 6, 2009) was an American lyric soprano who achieved a high level of popularity in the United States singing on the radio during the 1940s and the early 1950s. Della Chiesa performed a wide variety ...

, Donald Dame, and the dozen members of the Buckingham Choir. Vocalist Evelyn MacGregor (1899-1967) was also heard on ''

The American Melody Hour ''The American Melody Hour'' was an American old-time radio program. ''The American Melody Hour'' was designed as a musical variety show. The program showcased a half-hour playing and singing "the tunes of yesterday and tomorrow..." mostly sung by ...

''.

Walter Gustave "Gus" Haenschen Walter may refer to: People * Walter (name), both a surname and a given name * Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–1968) * Gunther (wrestler), Austrian professional wrestler and trainer Walter Hahn (born 19 ...

, who led the orchestra, composed the opening theme song, "Dream Serenade," with lyrics by Alfred Bryan. The line-up also included violin soloist Bertram Hirsch, the piano duo of Victor Arden and Phil Ohman, and a quartet billed as “The Henchmen,” after Haenschen. The show's announcers were

André Baruch André Baruch (August 20, 1908 – September 15, 1991) was a French-American film narrator, radio announcer, news commentator, Talk radio, talk show host, disc jockey and sportscaster. He hosted radio programs from the 1940s to the 1980s with Bea ...

Howard Claney Howard Moorhead Claney (April 17, 1898 - April 30, 1980) was an American actor, an announcer on old-time radio, and a narrator of films. Early years The son of William J. Claney and Mary J. Claney, he was born in the Manchester neighborhood of ...

and Roger Krupp. The 30-minute show aired Sunday evenings at 9:00 p.m. until 1933 when it moved to 9:30 p.m. In 1938, the Hummerts did away with the studio audience after concluding that the music sounded better with fewer people in the studio, and fewer breaks due to applause. Musical Director and Conductor

Gus Haenschen Walter Gustave Haenschen ( - March 27, 1980) was an arranger and composer of music and an orchestra conductor, primarily on old-time radio programs. Early years Haenschen was born in St. Louis to parents who had come from Germany and settled in tha ...

, who wrote many of the program's arrangements, ensured that the orchestra played softly as the announcer introduced each selection, thereby achieving a musical continuity from the opening to the close of each broadcast. In 1945, when Munn left the show for retirement, he was replaced by Frank Parker. In 1952, Parker was replaced by tenor Earl William, the stage name of Earl Sauvain. Baritone Michael Roberts and pianist Ernest Ulmer were also added to the cast in 1952. After the NBC run ended on November 19, 1950, the series moved a week later (November 26) to ABC where it was still broadcast Sundays at 9:30 p.m., continuing until the June 17, 1951 final network broadcast. From then until June 20, 1954, the orchestra, chorus and soloists toured the United States, and its performances were broadcast on local stations.

References

External links

Radio Guide (January 10, 1937)RadioWebLinks
{{DEFAULTSORT:American Album of Familiar Music, The

American music radio programs American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

1930s American radio programs 1940s American radio programs 1950s American radio programs NBC radio programs ABC radio programs 1931 radio programme debuts