Bobby Sherwood

Photo of Bobby Sherwood

  • Birth Name

    Robert James Sherwood Junior

  • Born

    May 30, 1914
    Indianapolis, Indiana

  • Died

    January 23, 1981 (age 66)
    Auburn, Massachusetts

  • Featured Vocalists

    Bonnie Lou Williams

  • Featured Vocal Groups

    The Town Criers

Multi-talented Bobby Sherwood fronted a number of orchestras during the 1940s. Sherwood could sing, compose, arrange, and play multiple instruments, though he focused mainly on guitar and trumpet during his bandleading days. Often described as good-looking and easygoing, Sherwood seemed destined to become one of the top bandleaders in the nation, but he struggled to capture the public’s attention. Today he’s best remembered for the song “The Elks’ Parade.”

Sherwood grew up in a musical vaudeville family and joined his parents on stage at a young age. He eventually settled in Los Angeles, where he quickly built a successful career as a studio musician. In 1933, Sherwood became Bing Crosby’s favored guitarist, appearing on many of Crosby’s recordings during the mid-1930s. In the late 1930s, Sherwood worked with Artie Shaw in the studio and on the radio. In 1940, he briefly became musical director for Eddie Cantor’s radio program.

Bandleading Years

Sherwood made several failed attempts at leading his own orchestra. In early 1940, he put together a “swinging strings” band which would have featured Martha Tilton as female vocalist, however the group never made it out of rehearsals. It wasn’t until mid-1942 when he finally succeeded in fronting his own band, with help from his friend, singer Johnny Mercer. Mercer had constantly urged Sherwood to form his own orchestra, and when Mercer co-founded Capitol Records in 1942 he signed Sherwood as one of the label’s first artists.[1] Sherwood rehearsed a group of studio musicians for two weeks in May before recording four sides, one of which, “Moonlight Becomes You,” featured Kitty Kallen on vocals. Another, “The Elks’ Parade,” which Sherwood wrote, soon became a hit.

In early June, Sherwood put together another group of musicians for fill-in dates at the Casa Mañana night club in Los Angeles. The band then did a three-week stint in Hermosa Beach. With a cross-country trip booked starting in July, Sherwood quickly worked to form a traveling outfit. The new fifteen-piece orchestra first headed to Portland and then on to Salt Lake City in August. After another stop in Columbus, Ohio, it landed at the New Pelham Heath Inn in New York that September.

Penny Piper served as the band’s initial female vocalist, joined by a vocal quartet named the Bobettes who were comprised of the four Polk siblings, two male and two female. By early July, Piper had left, with Mercer protégé Bonnie Lou Williams taking her place.[2] Lucille Linwood had taken over as female vocalist by the time the band headed east. The Polk siblings left Sherwood to join Les Brown in November 1942, where they became known as the Town Criers.[3] Sherwood hired a new quartet to replace them, also calling them the Bobettes. Throughout his band’s existence, Sherwood handled male vocals himself.

Sherwood struggled in the East as the band failed to attract much attention. Unable to consistently land good bookings, Sherwood thought of packing it in several times but kept at it. In mid-1943, despite the orchestra featuring a young Zoot Sims on tenor sax, one reviewer lamented the band’s lack of originality and enthusiasm. Linwood and the Bobettes were gone by May 1943. Anita Boyer temporarily took over vocal duties that month when the band was called to fill in for one week at the Paramount Theater, after which Gwen Davies became female vocalist. Davies left the band in October, replaced by Sherwood’s younger sister, Gayle, who went by the stage name Gail Landis.[4] Though the band recorded more sides for Capitol in December 1943, the label didn’t release them until late in 1944.[5] By then it was too late. In January 1944, Sherwood received his draft notice and disbanded.[6]

Later Career

Classified 4-F, Sherwood put together a new orchestra in early 1944. In July, he scooped up the remains of Teddy Powell’s band after Powell was arrested for draft evasion. Sherwood continued to struggle, though, going through a series of bands over the next few years. He recorded again with Capitol in late 1945 and early 1946, likely with studio orchestras. In October 1946, he made his debut on Broadway, starring in Hear That Trumpet, a non-musical play about musicians. The play closed after eight days. Sherwood remained in New York, forming a small band, but then changed his mind and returned to Hollywood, where he opened with a new orchestra in January 1947. The new band featured Lynne Stevens as female vocalist and recorded on Capitol. It initially attracted some attention but soon disbanded. It would be Sherwood’s last hurrah as a bandleader.

Following the band’s demise, Sherwood recorded solo as a singer backed by Frank DeVol’s orchestra and also as part of groups led by Red Norvo and singer/pianist Julia Lee. Late in 1947, he put together another short-lived band, but in 1948 he began to focus on acting and television, appearing in the film Campus Sleuth as a murdering bandleader and on Cleveland television as a disc jockey. By year’s end he was in San Francisco as musical director and actor in the off-Broadway play Raze the Roof.

Sherwood continued to vacillate between television and music for the rest of his career. He appeared on numerous television programs during the 1950s, including a stint on Milton Berle’s popular show. He occasionally put together bands for performances and recordings, releasing sides on Mercury in 1950 and Coral in 1955. In 1955, he also recorded the album Bobby Sherwood and His All-Bobby Sherwood Band, which featured a fifteen-piece orchestra in which he played all the instruments. In 1957, he released an album of western tunes on Jubilee. That same year, he made his final big screen appearance in the Frank Sinatra film Pal Joey. He released an album of music from the film in 1958.

Bobby Sherwood passed away in 1981 at the age of 66. [7]

Notes

  1. Mercer also backed Sherwood financially. Unlike most backers, though, he didn’t take a cut of Sherwood’s band. He called his financial investment a friendly loan. ↩︎

  2. At that time, Williams went simply by the stage name Bonnie Lou. Mercer had also recommended the Polks to Sherwood. ↩︎

  3. In a 1958 interview, Lucy Ann Polk talked about having spent six months with Sherwood’s band in 1943, before she and her siblings joined Les Brown. She misremembered, certainly, as they joined Brown in November 1942. If she instead meant 1942, then they must have been the Bobettes. The Bobettes were active until May 1943, so Sherwood must have hired a new quartet to take the Polks place when they left. ↩︎

  4. Sherwood’s youngest sister, Caroline, also reportedly sang with his band, though at what date and in what band is not recorded. In the late 1940s, Caroline became a member of the Town Criers. ↩︎

  5. Down Beat reported that Sherwood’s band had recorded eight sides in December 1943 but only two sides were ever released. ↩︎

  6. In mid-1944, Down Beat magazine blamed Sherwood’s lack of success on a dearth of major bookings and Capitol’s poor support. Metronome writer George T. Simon in his book, The Big Bands, credited the orchestra’s problems to being undisciplined and slovenly. He also placed blame on Sherwood’s many roles and talents. Sherwood was not just a singing leader, or a guitar-playing leader, or a trumpet-playing leader, or an arranging leader. He did everything, and audiences had a hard time pinning him down to one image. ↩︎

  7. For a brief period, Sherwood was the brother-in-law of Judy Garland. He married Garland’s sister, Virginia Gumm, in 1938. The couple had one child and remained together into the early 1940s. She was the second of Sherwood’s four wives. On Sherwood’s draft registration card in 1940, he listed Judy Garland as the person “who will always know your address.” ↩︎

Vocalist Timeline

1942
1943
Penny Piper
Bonnie Lou Williams
Lucille Linwood
Gwen Davies
Gail Landis

Note: Dates may be approximate. Some vocalists may not be listed due to lack of information on their dates of employment.

Sources

  1. Simon, George T. The Big Bands. 4th ed. New York: Schirmer, 1981.
  2. “Sherwood's New Style.” Down Beat 1 Apr. 1940: 10.
  3. “Shaw's Lineup Is Revealed On Disc Date.” Down Beat 1 Apr. 1940: 4.
  4. Emge, Charles. “Who's Who on the Hollywood Air Shows: Hormel Program.” Down Beat 15 Nov. 1940: 9.
  5. Holly, Hal. “Los Angeles Band Briefs.” Down Beat 15 Feb. 1942: 12.
  6. “New Coast Disc Firm Adds Talent.” Down Beat 1 Jun. 1942: 13.
  7. “Richards to Test Power With Tour.” Down Beat 15 Jun. 1942: 7.
  8. Advertisement. “Bobby Sherwood.” Down Beat 15 Jun. 1942: 29.
  9. “Johnny Mercer Backs Bobby Sherwood Ork.” Down Beat 1 Jul. 1942: 6.
  10. “Johnny Mercer Discovery.” Down Beat 15 Jul. 1942: 8.
  11. “Orchestra Notes.” Billboard 15 Aug. 1942: 23.
  12. “Orchestra Notes.” Billboard 5 Sep. 1942: 21.
  13. “Along Melody Row.” Down Beat 1 Oct. 1942: 16.
  14. “Here's Bobby.” Down Beat 1 Dec. 1942: 3.
  15. “On the Air: Bobby Sherwood.” Billboard 12 Dec. 1942: 22.
  16. “Glen Island, Astor, And Rainbow Fold.” Down Beat 1 Jan. 1943: 1.
  17. “On the Stand: Bobby Sherwood.” Billboard 20 Mar. 1943: 22.
  18. Boyer, Anita. “Boyer's Browsings.” Down Beat 15 May 1943: 8.
  19. “Sherwood Hires New Vocalist.” Down Beat 15 Jun. 1943: 1.
  20. “Sherwood May Draw Holdover At the Lincoln.” Down Beat 1 Jul. 1943: 3.
  21. Stacy, Frank. “Bobby Sherwood's Luck Changes, Band on Way After Few Sad Breaks.” Down Beat 1 Jul. 1943: 12.
  22. “Vaudeville Reviews: Earle, Philadelphia.” Billboard 18 Sep. 1943: 19.
  23. “On the Stand: Bobby Sherwood.” Billboard 6 Nov. 1943: 15.
  24. “So It's Gail.” Down Beat 15 Nov. 1943: 1.
  25. “Gwen on Radio.” Down Beat 1 Dec. 1943: 1.
  26. “Bobby Sherwood Faces Induction.” Down Beat 15 Jan. 1944: 1.
  27. “Music Grapevine.” Billboard 10 Jun. 1944: 14.
  28. “Bands Dug by the Beat: Bobby Sherwood.” Down Beat 1 Jul. 1944: 13.
  29. “Vaudeville Reviews: Oriental, Chicago.” Billboard 8 Jul. 1944: 27.
  30. “Strictly Ad Lib.” Down Beat 1 Aug. 1944: 5.
  31. “Sherwood Has First L.A. Date.” Down Beat 15 Sep. 1945: 6.
  32. “Bobby Sherwood Cuts More Capitol Wax.” Down Beat 15 Nov. 1945: 9.
  33. “'44 Tough on New Bands.” Billboard 25 Nov. 1944: 13.
  34. “Chicago Band Briefs.” Down Beat 11 Mar. 1946: 4.
  35. No Title. Down Beat 22 Apr. 1946: 17.
  36. “Raft of Tootlers But Little Music In Hopkins Show.” Billboard 28 Sep. 1946: 16.
  37. “Sherwood Tries Short Cut With Part In Play.” Down Beat 7 Oct. 1946: 3.
  38. “Thespian Venture Short Lived.” Down Beat 4 Nov. 1946: 19.
  39. “Music As Written.” Billboard 21 Dec. 1946: 30.
  40. “Rey 1½G Detroit.” Billboard 28 Dec. 1946: 16.
  41. “Stevens With Band.” Down Beat 29 Jan. 1947: 9.
  42. “Two Wives Named Helen.” Down Beat 29 Jan. 1947: 19.
  43. “On the Stand: Bobby Sherwood.” Billboard 8 Feb. 1947: 33.
  44. “Key Spot Bands.” Down Beat 12 Feb. 1947: 22.
  45. “Music As Written.” Billboard 15 Nov. 1947: 18.
  46. “Movie Music.” Down Beat 25 Feb. 1948: 8.
  47. “Leaders Leave Batonery In Droves For Spinnery.” Down Beat 10 Mar. 1948: 23.
  48. “Television News.” Down Beat 2 Jun. 1948: 2.
  49. “Out-of-Town Openings: Raze the Roof.” Billboard 9 Oct. 1948: 47.
  50. Gleason, Ralph J. “Sherwood Earns His Salt Plus In Musical.” Down Beat 20 Oct. 1948: 12.
  51. “Strictly Ad Lib.” Down Beat 3 Jun. 1949: 5.
  52. “Vaudeville Reviews: Paramount, New York.” Billboard 4 Jun. 1949: 46.
  53. “Sherwood Breathes on A. Godfrey.” Billboard 18 Nov. 1950: 16.
  54. Hoefer, George. “Sherwood, Now A DJ, Let's Elks Parade By.” Down Beat 25 Mar. 1953: 10-S.
  55. “Strictly Ad Lib.” Down Beat 9 Sep. 1953: 3.
  56. Holly, Hal. “Filmland.” Down Beat 13 Jun. 1957: 32.
  57. Tynan, John. “Lucky Lucy Ann.” Down Beat 6 Feb. 1958: 19, 36, 37.
  58. “United States Census, 1920,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFWK-V2L : Wed Jul 17 13:57:13 UTC 2024), Entry for Robert J Sherwoods and Gayle Sherwoods, 1920.
  59. “United States Census, 1930,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XC8K-7HQ : Sun Jul 21 03:41:19 UTC 2024), Entry for Robert J Sherwood and Gayle C Sherwood, 1930.
  60. “Nevada County Marriages, 1862-1993,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL4G-DB26 : Sun Mar 10 18:13:08 UTC 2024), Entry for Robert James Sherwood and Dorothy Virginia Gumm, 11 Mar 1938.
  61. “United States Census, 1940,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K9HL-GKL : Sun Mar 10 03:37:25 UTC 2024), Entry for Robert J Sherwood, Jr and Virginia Sherwood, 1940.
  62. “California, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGF4-5LM8 : Sat Mar 09 06:21:32 UTC 2024), Entry for Robert James Sherwood and Judy Garland, 16 October 1940.
  63. “Massachusetts Death Index, 1970-2003,” FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VZTC-1L2 : 13 June 2019), Robert J Sherwood, 1981.