Ted Lewis and his Band was one of the best selling Jazz bands of the 1920s and Lewis was Columbia Records best selling artist. Lewis got his start with Earl Fuller’s Famous Jazz Band in 1917, but his clarinet antics soon made him the star of the group and he went solo in 1919, taking most of the musicians from Fuller’s band with him.

In 1924 Lewis hired George Brunies of the New Orleans Rhythm Kings and in 1928 he hired Muggsy Spainer. Over the years many up-and-coming Jazz greats like Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden and Jimmy Dorsey passed through the band early in their careers. With all of this talent passing through the band they were really starting to swing by the early 1930s as evidenced in tunes like Jazznocracy, White Heat and Rhythm, but as the Depression worn on Lewis had become more of a Pop vocalist and Jazz was not figuring as prominently in the mix.

Most modern Jazz histories overlook or downplay Ted Lewis’ role in the development of Jazz. When he is mentioned he is often dismissed as being commercial and corny, but Lewis was a true Jazz pioneer and on his best songs like Dip Your Brush In Sunshine it is easy to understand why he was so popular.

If you are in southern Ohio be sure to check out the Ted Lewis Museum which has on display memorabilia of the legendary jazz musician, Ted Lewis. The museum features the Ted Lewis Theater which provides guests with an opportunity to see Ted Lewis in performance by means of tapes from his movies and TV appearances. The museum is open 1-5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Group tours are available by appointment. Call(740) 477-3630 or contact Polly Miller at (740) 474-3231 for details. The Ted Lewis Museum is located at 133 West Main Street, P.O. Box 492, Circleville, Ohio, 43113. www.tedlewismuseum.org

Thanks to Carl Rose, Verne Buland, James Gallup, Dave Lewis, Owen Miller, Dave Bartholomew and Dennis Pereyra for their help with the recordings on this page.>