Harold H. Dickinson, Leader of Modernaires
Funeral services were pending Thursday for Harold Hunt (Hal) Dickinson, 56, originator and leader of the Modernaires Vocal group, who died Wednesday at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara after a long illness. Mr. Dickinson was born Dec. 12, 1914, in Buffalo, N.Y., where he attended DeVeaux Military Academy and Nichols Prep School and at one time considered a career as a professional tennis player. Instead, he was encouraged by an aunt to develop his musical talent and formed a trio called the Three Weary Willies, which performed on radio station WGR, Buffalo. The trio later moved to New York City and renamed itself the Blue Rhythm Boys. Again renamed the Don Juan, Two and Three, the trio performed with Ted Fio Rito on the CBS "Hollywood Hotel" show for 26 weeks, and then took in a fourth member for a quartet and went to work for bandleader Ray Noble. Mr. Dickinson renamed the group the Modernaires in the early 1930s, but the group was augmented with four additional members and later performed with Fred Waring as the V-8 Octet in 1936. Returning to the former name of Modernaires, the group worked with Charlie Barnet, Paul Whiteman and Glenn Miller an old friend from the days with Ray Noble and in 1939 Mr. Dickinson was married to vocalist Paula Kelly, who joined the Modernaires in 1942. Mr. Dickinson served in the Army during World War II, and rejoined the Modernaires when he returned to civilian life. The group continued to perform until he was incapacitated by his final illness earlier this year. In addition to his wife, Mr. Dickinson leaves three daughters, Martha, Paula and Julie, and his stepmother, Mrs. Rita Dickinson.
The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, Friday, November 20, 1970, Page: 24
Composer, songwriter, producer and singer with the orchestras of Paul Whiteman, Fred Waring, Charlie Barnet, Glenn Miller and Bob Crosby, and also in films, night clubs, and on television.
His popular-song compositions include "These Things You Left Me", "Everytime I See You", "Jingle Bell Polka", "Romantique", "Birds and Puppies and Tropical Fish", "Tabby the Cat", and "Too Young to Know".
Hal was the founder and leader of the jazz harmony group The Modernaires, which included Dickinson, Fran Scott, Johnny Drake, Alan Copeland (who dropped out and was replaced by Dick Cathcart) and Hal's wife, singer Paula Kelly. Some of their best known recordings include "April in Paris", "Goody Goody", "Stompin' at the Savoy" and "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree".
Funeral services were pending Thursday for Harold Hunt (Hal) Dickinson, 56, originator and leader of the Modernaires Vocal group, who died Wednesday at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara after a long illness. Mr. Dickinson was born Dec. 12, 1914, in Buffalo, N.Y., where he attended DeVeaux Military Academy and Nichols Prep School and at one time considered a career as a professional tennis player. Instead, he was encouraged by an aunt to develop his musical talent and formed a trio called the Three Weary Willies, which performed on radio station WGR, Buffalo. The trio later moved to New York City and renamed itself the Blue Rhythm Boys. Again renamed the Don Juan, Two and Three, the trio performed with Ted Fio Rito on the CBS "Hollywood Hotel" show for 26 weeks, and then took in a fourth member for a quartet and went to work for bandleader Ray Noble. Mr. Dickinson renamed the group the Modernaires in the early 1930s, but the group was augmented with four additional members and later performed with Fred Waring as the V-8 Octet in 1936. Returning to the former name of Modernaires, the group worked with Charlie Barnet, Paul Whiteman and Glenn Miller an old friend from the days with Ray Noble and in 1939 Mr. Dickinson was married to vocalist Paula Kelly, who joined the Modernaires in 1942. Mr. Dickinson served in the Army during World War II, and rejoined the Modernaires when he returned to civilian life. The group continued to perform until he was incapacitated by his final illness earlier this year. In addition to his wife, Mr. Dickinson leaves three daughters, Martha, Paula and Julie, and his stepmother, Mrs. Rita Dickinson.
The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, Friday, November 20, 1970, Page: 24
Composer, songwriter, producer and singer with the orchestras of Paul Whiteman, Fred Waring, Charlie Barnet, Glenn Miller and Bob Crosby, and also in films, night clubs, and on television.
His popular-song compositions include "These Things You Left Me", "Everytime I See You", "Jingle Bell Polka", "Romantique", "Birds and Puppies and Tropical Fish", "Tabby the Cat", and "Too Young to Know".
Hal was the founder and leader of the jazz harmony group The Modernaires, which included Dickinson, Fran Scott, Johnny Drake, Alan Copeland (who dropped out and was replaced by Dick Cathcart) and Hal's wife, singer Paula Kelly. Some of their best known recordings include "April in Paris", "Goody Goody", "Stompin' at the Savoy" and "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree".
Harold H. Dickinson, Leader of Modernaires
Funeral services were pending Thursday for Harold Hunt (Hal) Dickinson, 56, originator and leader of the Modernaires Vocal group, who died Wednesday at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara after a long illness. Mr. Dickinson was born Dec. 12, 1914, in Buffalo, N.Y., where he attended DeVeaux Military Academy and Nichols Prep School and at one time considered a career as a professional tennis player. Instead, he was encouraged by an aunt to develop his musical talent and formed a trio called the Three Weary Willies, which performed on radio station WGR, Buffalo. The trio later moved to New York City and renamed itself the Blue Rhythm Boys. Again renamed the Don Juan, Two and Three, the trio performed with Ted Fio Rito on the CBS "Hollywood Hotel" show for 26 weeks, and then took in a fourth member for a quartet and went to work for bandleader Ray Noble. Mr. Dickinson renamed the group the Modernaires in the early 1930s, but the group was augmented with four additional members and later performed with Fred Waring as the V-8 Octet in 1936. Returning to the former name of Modernaires, the group worked with Charlie Barnet, Paul Whiteman and Glenn Miller an old friend from the days with Ray Noble and in 1939 Mr. Dickinson was married to vocalist Paula Kelly, who joined the Modernaires in 1942. Mr. Dickinson served in the Army during World War II, and rejoined the Modernaires when he returned to civilian life. The group continued to perform until he was incapacitated by his final illness earlier this year. In addition to his wife, Mr. Dickinson leaves three daughters, Martha, Paula and Julie, and his stepmother, Mrs. Rita Dickinson.
The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, Friday, November 20, 1970, Page: 24
Composer, songwriter, producer and singer with the orchestras of Paul Whiteman, Fred Waring, Charlie Barnet, Glenn Miller and Bob Crosby, and also in films, night clubs, and on television.
His popular-song compositions include "These Things You Left Me", "Everytime I See You", "Jingle Bell Polka", "Romantique", "Birds and Puppies and Tropical Fish", "Tabby the Cat", and "Too Young to Know".
Hal was the founder and leader of the jazz harmony group The Modernaires, which included Dickinson, Fran Scott, Johnny Drake, Alan Copeland (who dropped out and was replaced by Dick Cathcart) and Hal's wife, singer Paula Kelly. Some of their best known recordings include "April in Paris", "Goody Goody", "Stompin' at the Savoy" and "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree".
Funeral services were pending Thursday for Harold Hunt (Hal) Dickinson, 56, originator and leader of the Modernaires Vocal group, who died Wednesday at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara after a long illness. Mr. Dickinson was born Dec. 12, 1914, in Buffalo, N.Y., where he attended DeVeaux Military Academy and Nichols Prep School and at one time considered a career as a professional tennis player. Instead, he was encouraged by an aunt to develop his musical talent and formed a trio called the Three Weary Willies, which performed on radio station WGR, Buffalo. The trio later moved to New York City and renamed itself the Blue Rhythm Boys. Again renamed the Don Juan, Two and Three, the trio performed with Ted Fio Rito on the CBS "Hollywood Hotel" show for 26 weeks, and then took in a fourth member for a quartet and went to work for bandleader Ray Noble. Mr. Dickinson renamed the group the Modernaires in the early 1930s, but the group was augmented with four additional members and later performed with Fred Waring as the V-8 Octet in 1936. Returning to the former name of Modernaires, the group worked with Charlie Barnet, Paul Whiteman and Glenn Miller an old friend from the days with Ray Noble and in 1939 Mr. Dickinson was married to vocalist Paula Kelly, who joined the Modernaires in 1942. Mr. Dickinson served in the Army during World War II, and rejoined the Modernaires when he returned to civilian life. The group continued to perform until he was incapacitated by his final illness earlier this year. In addition to his wife, Mr. Dickinson leaves three daughters, Martha, Paula and Julie, and his stepmother, Mrs. Rita Dickinson.
The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, Friday, November 20, 1970, Page: 24
Composer, songwriter, producer and singer with the orchestras of Paul Whiteman, Fred Waring, Charlie Barnet, Glenn Miller and Bob Crosby, and also in films, night clubs, and on television.
His popular-song compositions include "These Things You Left Me", "Everytime I See You", "Jingle Bell Polka", "Romantique", "Birds and Puppies and Tropical Fish", "Tabby the Cat", and "Too Young to Know".
Hal was the founder and leader of the jazz harmony group The Modernaires, which included Dickinson, Fran Scott, Johnny Drake, Alan Copeland (who dropped out and was replaced by Dick Cathcart) and Hal's wife, singer Paula Kelly. Some of their best known recordings include "April in Paris", "Goody Goody", "Stompin' at the Savoy" and "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree".
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