Lists of the top ten big band hits are always of interest to swing fans, I'm no exception. One album from 1987 (reissued) of "Top Ten Big Band Hits" is from pianist Ronnie Kole. The personnel includes: Ronnie Kole (piano); The Pfister Sisters (vocals); Ward Smith (alto saxophone); Robert Gable (tenor saxophone); Chuck Easterling (trumpet); Bill Huntington (guitar, bass); Dick Taylor (drums). No reviews or sample tracks are available . But, again, the interest is in the list. Glenn Miller leads the list with four selections (In The Mood, Sunrise Serenade, String of Pearls and his theme song, Moonlight Serenade). Artie Shaw is represented with Begin the Beguine and Stardust.
Per Kole's website; This album came about through the efforts of the listeners of one hundred and thirty-five radio stations throughout the continental United States plus St. Croix, Virgin Islands and Honolulu, Hawaii. The listeners were asked to write to their stations and name their three favorite songs. These thousands of requests were fed into a computer at the headquarters of the ABC Radio Networks. All these requests were then played for an "All Request Weekend" on the one hundred and thirty-five radio stations.
1. In the Mood
2. Deep Purple
3. Sunrise Serenade
4. Misty
5. Begin the Beguine
6. I'll Be Seing You
7. String of Pearls
8. Stardust
9. Sentimental Journey
10. Moonlight Serenade
Note: Erroll Garner's "Misty" (lyrics by Johnny Burke) is clearly a jazz standard, but, was it a "big band hit?" It was a pop hit in 1959 for singer Johnny Mathis. Other fine versions are by Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan (1959), Billy Eckstine (1960) and Frank Sinatra.
Some other lists: CLICK ON THE TITLE
The Songs That Shaped The Swing Era?
The 100 Greatest Recordings of All Time?
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