Phyllis Kenny

Vocalist Phyllis Kenny worked as a burlesque showgirl in New York during 1936 before joining Jerry Blaine and His Streamline Rhythm Orchestra at some point before January 1937. She appeared with the band in one of Max Fleischer’s Screen Songs shorts for Paramount, singing “You Took the Words Right Out of My Heart.” She left Blaine for Shep Fields in 1938. She didn’t stay long with Fields, exiting in early September. In March 1939, she was part of Jan Garber’s band.

Kenny, who called Boston home, had joined Van Alexander’s orchestra by May 1939, where she remained until Alexander disbanded in September 1940. In early 1941, Kenny was a member of the Airliners vocal quartet, consisting of three men and one woman. The Airliners briefly spent time with Charlie Barnet’s band before being replaced by the Quintones in April 1941.[1]

Kenny appeared with Alexander once again in 1942 for the Minoco soundie, “Deep in the Heart of Texas.”

Notes

  1. The three men in the Airliners were Pat Haywood, Jimmy Engler, and Webb Tilton, no relation to Martha or Liz. ↩︎

Sources

  1. The Online Discographical Project. Accessed 22 Aug. 2015.
  2. “Phyllis Kenny.” IMDb. Accessed 22 Aug. 2015.
  3. “Burly Briefs.” Billboard 30 May 1936: 23.
  4. Colson, George. “Cocoanut Grove, Park Central, New York.” Billboard 16 Jan. 1937: 12.
  5. Orodenker, M.H. “Review of Records.” Billboard 13 Nov. 1937: 18.
  6. Zolotow, Maurice. “Airing the Bands.” Billboard 8 Jan. 1938: 16.
  7. Denis, Paul. “Cocoanut Grove, Park Central, New York.” Billboard 12 Feb. 1938: 20.
  8. Ross, George. “Broadway.” The Pittsburgh Press 16 Jul. 1938: 10.
  9. “The Reviewing Stand: Shep Fields.” Billboard 10 Sep. 1938: 13.
  10. Moore, Henry. “On the Airwaves.” The Paris News [Paris, Texas] 12 Mar. 1939: 15.
  11. Advertisement. “Strand.” Creston News Advertiser [Creston, Iowa] 28 Mar. 1939: 8.
  12. “Platters on Parade.” The Daily Princetonian [Princeton, New Jersey] 19 May 1939: 2.
  13. “Orchestra Personnels.” Down Beat 15 Feb. 1940: 18.
  14. Whitman, Alice. “On the Records.” St. Petersburg Times 7 Apr. 1940: 22.
  15. “Van Alexander Junks Band.” Down Beat 15 Oct. 1940: 2.
  16. “Gals Are Out; Barnet Hires Mixed Quartet.” Down Beat 1 May 1941: 2.
  17. “Movie Machine Reviews.” Billboard 18 Apr. 1942: 78.