Biography
Born on 20 July 1907 in Brooklyn, New York, USA, and passing away on 23 July 1987 in Los Angeles, California, USA, Art Jarrett mastered several instruments including guitar, banjo and trombone while also serving as a vocalist and bandleader. During the early 1930s he maintained an active presence on stage and screen. In January 1935 he launched his own dance orchestra, which debuted at Chicago’s Blackhawk Restaurant in Illinois. Among its personnel were Jule Styne, Randy Brooks, James Fitzpatrick, Hal Sharff, Harold Dankers, Les Cooper, Jack Turner, Arthur Owen, Bruce Milligan, Rufus Smith, John Zellner, Floyd Sullivan, Babe Stuart, Ken La Bohn, Emery Kenyon, Sid Nierman and Ken Binford. Rotating vocal duties fell to Eleanor Holm (b. 6 December 1913, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA, d. 31 January 2004, Miami, Florida, USA), Jeri Sullivan, Gale Robbins, Doris Singleton, Betty Barrett, Billy Blair and Jarrett himself. The ensemble performed most frequently at the Blackhawk while concentrating engagements throughout the Midwest and East Coast, favoring the polished, melodic approach prevalent at the time. Its releases encompassed ‘Everything’s Been Done Before’ and ‘’Neath The Silvery Moon’ for Brunswick Records, Columbia Records and Victor Records, and the orchestra was regularly featured on such sponsored broadcasts as The Florsheim Shoe Show, Dr. Pepper Show, Fitch Bandwagon and Coca Cola Spotlight Bands. Married to Jarrett in the early 1930s, Eleanor Holm, already celebrated as a swimming champion, departed the group in 1936 to compete in that year’s Olympics, from which she was disqualified for ‘sassy’ conduct during the Atlantic voyage to Germany. In the early 1940s Jarrett dissolved his own orchestra to assume leadership of the Hal Kemp dance band after its founder’s death. He guided that ensemble for many years before settling in Yonkers, New York, where he established an orange-juice enterprise.