Blue Steele & His Orchestra - Because You Are My Dream Girl
  • 15 years ago
Blue Steele (né Eugene Staples, 1893-1971, not to be confused with the present-day Canadian rock band) was a singer and trombonist who doubled on mellophone. During the early '20s he toured with the Watson's Bell Hops. The Blue Steele Orchestra was formed during the mid-'20s in Atlanta, and quickly caught on with audiences throughout Florida. During the years 1927-1930, the band cut about 20 records for Victor. Steele hired excellent players but few of them remained in the band for long because of his volatile temperament. Many of his musicians ended up in the Casa Loma Orchestra. Steele often commandeered the microphone and vocalized in a warm and somewhat boisterous manner. Others who are known to have sung with the band were Kay Austin, Mabel Batson, Clyde Davis, George Marks, and Bob Nolan. The latter is also the vocalist in this song, one of Nolan's own compositions. I am unsure whether he is the same person as the country songwriter and musician. By the end of the '50s he was dominating a Dixieland band called the Rhythm Rebels. One of his bandmates was Elmer Schoebel, member of the original New Orleans Rhythm Kings. Blue Steele passed away at an undisclosed location on July 7 1971. This outstanding record was made in 1928.
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