Guy Lombardo

By 1930 the ensemble known as Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians had already secured its place as the nation’s premier dance orchestra, trading under the motto “The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven.” Despite later critics grouping the group with the era’s lighter “Mickey Mouse” bands, its playing was widely admired for precision; Louis Armstrong repeatedly named it his personal favorite on account of its flawless intonation. Early Gennett recordings demonstrate that the musicians could deliver heated jazz whenever they chose, yet audiences consistently favored the sweet arrangements and the vocal novelties supplied by Guy’s brother Carmen, a preference the bandleader never failed to meet. Lombardo’s stature grew further when he began hosting annual New Year’s Eve telecasts from New York, embedding his version of “Auld Lang Syne” in the country’s shared memory and establishing his most enduring legacy.

The enterprise started in 1924 when Guy joined brothers Lebert, Carmen, and, shortly afterward, Victor to form a large dance orchestra. Although Guy began as the group’s violinist, he soon took the podium as leader and conductor. Initial success in Canada prompted a move to the United States, where the musicians secured a steady engagement in Cleveland, Ohio, and first billed themselves Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians. From Cleveland they proceeded to Chicago and then to New York City, which became their permanent base after an acclaimed residency at the Roosevelt Grill.

Once established in New York, the Royal Canadians launched an extended series of network radio broadcasts and, beginning in 1927, amassed a run of hit recordings that continued unbroken until 1954. By the early thirties Lombardo had achieved international fame through both his discs and motion-picture appearances, among them Many Happy Returns. His yearly New Year’s Eve program solidified “Auld Lang Syne” as a national standard. In the 1940s he also distinguished himself as a powerboat racer, capturing numerous trophies that included a National Championship late in the decade.

Between 1927 and 1954 the orchestra sold well in excess of 100 million discs for Columbia, Brunswick, Decca, and RCA Victor; worldwide sales estimates range between 100 and 300 million copies. In 1954 Lombardo assumed management of the Marine Theatre at Jones Beach, New York, where he mounted a succession of popular musical revues. He continued to direct these productions until his death in 1977.