We step back a couple of years to 1949 for a couple of versions of "Jingle Bells" aimed at the kiddie market, both issued on 7-inch 78 rpm records, so they're short!
First is this one on Little Golden Records, sung by Dick Byron:
That's a pretty good little version! And the label is so fun!
I have no idea who Dick Byron is/was, other than he sang on a number of Little Golden Records.
I presume that the Sandpiper Chorus/Sandpipers, who also sang on a ton of these records, was the house name for whatever group of singers they rounded up for a given session, but that might not be accurate.
The "star" of such things is one Mitchell Miller, known under his more familiar name of Mitch, who directed a lot of kids' records as a sideline and always brought his considerable musical acumen to whatever the project.
The next record is also from 1949, but it's from the mighty Capitol Records, who issued a lot of kiddie records and issued a series under the "Tiny-Tunes" name, including this one from Hal Derwin:
I'm very familiar with Hal Derwin, who had been featured with Shep Fields's band in the 1930s, then led his own orchestra, as well as recording solo sides and also dubbing the vocals for musically-challenged actors in a number of movies!
Here's Hal's biggest hit, a song popular in 1946:
Not credited on the label but backing up Hal on "Jingle Bells" is the master arranger/conductor Billy May, who did all sorts of work for Capitol Records.
So, the records were aimed at kids, but the professionalism is there!
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