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Paul Whiteman's Orchestra, started a little later in radio than other bands of the 1920s (including those of Ben Bernie, Rudy Vallee and even Lawrence Welk). They began their CBS radio show in 1929 which sponsored by Old Gold cigarettes. The Old Gold/Paul Whiteman Hour, was meant to counter the NBC radio program of B. A. Rolfe & his Lucky Strike Dance Orchestra (click the link above for a list of some of the songs played on the show - OH, for a line recording of these!!!).
    During the course of this radio show, the band went to Hollywood twice (once on a train sponsored by Old Gold) to make the movie "The King of Jazz". After this series ended, and after a lean period due to the Depression, Paul Whiteman's Orchestra was regularly sponsored on the radio from 1933 through the end of the 1930s (from which many of the songs on this page were obtained).
    The band continued to make live stage appearances and broadcast remotes during this time. During the 1940s, Paul was involved in radio programs in which he led a studio orchestra with a small core of musicians from his band, and, in 1947, tried his hand as a disc jockey on radio, and, in 1949, went on to television.
    "Now and Then" was a popular segment and it begun during the Philco Radio Hall of Fame series and continued on "Forever Tops", this led to the recordings made on the Coral label in the 1950s. The songs on this web page were not typical of the mix of songs presented on these radio shows, but a sample as alternates to some of the Victor and Decca recordings of the time and for those interested in this music.
So, enjoy the selections, but first a commercial with Pops from 1952.