Ralph Flanagan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ralph Flanagan
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Flanagan in 1956
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ralph Elias Flenniken |
| Born | April 7, 1914 Lorain, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | December 30, 1995 (aged 81) Miami, Florida, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, big band |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, bandleader, composer, arranger |
| Instruments | Piano |
Ralph Elias Flenniken (April 7, 1914 – December 30, 1995), known professionally as Ralph Flanagan, was a talented American musician. He was a bandleader, pianist, composer, and arranger. He worked with many famous orchestras, including those led by Hal McIntyre and Sammy Kaye.
Ralph Flanagan joined the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) in 1950. This group helps protect the rights of music creators.
Contents
Ralph Flanagan's Early Life and Career
Ralph Flanagan grew up in Lorain, Ohio, United States. He went to Lorain High School. There, he was a very good student. He was part of the National Honors Society and worked on the school newspaper.
During World War II, Ralph served in the United States Merchant Marine. This was from October 1942 to 1946. The Merchant Marine helps transport goods and people by sea.
Creating the Ralph Flanagan Orchestra
In 1949, Ralph Flanagan started his own successful orchestra. An orchestra is a large group of musicians who play together. His band became very popular for bringing back the "Glenn Miller sound." Glenn Miller was a famous bandleader from an earlier time.
Ralph's band made many popular records. Some of their well-known songs include "Singing Winds," "Rag Mop," and "Hot Toddy."
Working with Herb Hendler
The Ralph Flanagan band was managed by a person named Herb Hendler. Herb Hendler worked for RCA, a big record company. He had encouraged Ralph to use the Glenn Miller sound. This advice helped Ralph's band become very successful.
Herb Hendler also helped write the song "Hot Toddy." Many different artists recorded this song.
Famous Songs and TV Appearances
One of Ralph Flanagan's recordings, "Slow Poke," was a big hit in early 1952. It reached number 6 on the music charts. This song was also the very first song played on the Today Show. This happened on January 14, 1952, when the show first started.
The Ralph Flanagan orchestra had special theme songs. These were "Giannina Mia" and "Singing Winds." "Singing Winds" was also the name of the orchestra's singing group.
During the busiest time of his career, Ralph Flanagan lived in a town called Malverne, New York.
Ralph Flanagan's Music Albums
Here is a list of some of the albums Ralph Flanagan and his orchestra released:
- Ralph Flanagan Plays Rodgers and Hammerstein II for Dancing (RCA Victor, 1949)
- Let's Dance Again with Flanagan (RCA Victor, 1951)
- Ralph Flanagan and His Orchestra (Metronome, 1951)
- Favorites (RCA Victor, 1951)
- The Old Ox Road (RCA Victor, 1952)
- Ralph Flanagan Plays Rodgers and Hammerstein II Vol. II (RCA Victor, 1951)
- Dance to the Top Pops (RCA Victor, 1952)
- Tops in Pops (RCA Victor, 1954)
- The War of the Bands Concert (RCA Victor, 1954)
- Junior-Senior Prom (RCA Victor, 1954)
- The Freshman-Sophomre Frolics (RCA Victor, 1954)
- 1001 Nighters (RCA Victor, 1956)
- Dancing Down Broadway (RCA Camden, 1956)
- Dancing in the Dark (RCA Camden, 1957)
- They're Playing Our Song (Imperial, 1958)
- Ralph Flanagan in Hi-Fi (RCA Victor, 1958)
- Holiday Inn (Imperial, 1959)
- Plays Your Request (Imperial, 1959)
- They're Playing Our Cha Cha! (Imperial, 1960)
- Dance to the New Live Sound of Ralph Flanagan (Coral, 1961)
- Live from the Palladium (Collectors' Choice, 2001)
- The Big Band Sounds of Ralph Flanagan (Sounds of Yesteryear, 2013)
