Shortly after speaking with Miller, Heath talked Douglas Lawrence, the Dance Music Organizer for the BBC’s Variety Department, into supporting a new big band with a broadcasting contract. Heath admired the immaculate precision of the Miller ensemble and felt confident that he could emulate Miller’s success with his own orchestra.He spoke with Miller at length about forming his own band, and Miller gave him a considerable amount of practical advice about how to effectively and profitably operate a big band. Heath was inspired by Glenn Miller and his Army Air Force Band (shown at right), which he heard on occasion when that band was in England in 1944. The royalties from this song and another of his compositions, “Gonna Love That Guy,” provided Heath the money to form his own band. ![]() Heath suggested “That Lovely Weekend” to Geraldo and it was orchestrated, with Dorothy Carless on vocal, and became an immediate wartime hit. Heath had composed a song “That Lovely Weekend,” setting to music a poem his wife Moira had written for him on a rare weekend they spent together among his extensive war travels. In Geraldo’s orchestra, Heath played numerous concerts and broadcasts during World War II in the Middle East theater of operations for the Allied Forces based there. In 1941, Geraldo asked his band members to submit a favorite tune to include in their broadcasts. By the 1930s, Heath was one of the top trombonists in Great Britain. These included Bert Firman Jack Hylton‘s Kit-Cat Band Jack Hylton Orchestra Ambrose Sydney Lipton Geraldo . Heath served a lenghty apprenticeship as a sideman with various British dance bands from the 1920s well into the 1940s. George Edward “ Ted” Heath (1902–1969) led what is widely considered Britain’s greatest and most successful post-World War II big band, recording more than 100 albums, which sold over 20 million copies. The Story: Ted Heath was an English trombonist who had a long career as a sideman playing with many British bands prior to and during World War II, before he became the leader of his own band. Ted Heath, directing: Bobby Pratt, first trumpet Bert Ezard, Duncan Campbell and Eddie Blair trumpets Don Lusher, first trombone Wally Smith, Jimmy Coombs and Ric Kennedy, trombones Leslie Gilbert, first alto saxophone Roy Willox, alto saxophone Henry McKenzie and Danny Moss, tenor saxophones George Hunter, baritone saxophone Frank Horrox, piano Ike Isaacs, guitar Johnny Hawksworth, bass Ronnie Verrell, drums. Recorded by Ted Heath and His Music for Decca in London, England in 1956. Composed by Jerome Kern arranged by Johnny Keating.
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