It's been a couple of weeks since we've heard "Jingle Bells" and I'm still digging up some interesting versions, so I'll share them on occasion!
This particular version is from Waldorf Music Hall Records in 1955 featuring Knuckles O'Toole:
I think that's a lot of fun!
There's a lot to sort through for a simple little record!
First, there wasn't really a "Knuckles O'Toole" running around back then! That was a pseudonym which I understand was used by a few different musicians, including Billy Rowland, whom I think is the pianist here.
As we had seen back here, the 1950s was full of honky tonk piano players and Enoch Light, the brains behind the impressive sounding Waldorf Music Hall Records label, was always aware of trends in the music business, so he featured Knuckles O'Toole on several records with Waldorf as well as His later Grand Award label.
Similarly, the much bigger Capitol Records had pianist Lou Busch cut several records as "Joe 'Fingers' Carr" in the honky tonk style.
Enoch Light himself had been a bandleader and his band was known as "The Light Brigade," which accounts for the vocal group on the record being called the Brigadiers Quartet!
They weren't an official vocal group either, but various studio singers. I think Artie Malvin might be singing lead here. He was a vocal contractor in addition to his singing and he worked with Enoch Light a lot.
And finally, let's not sleep on the wacky billing on the label:
THE NEW EXCITING JINGLE BELLS Starring KNUCKLES O'TOOLE his Honky-Tonk piano & Orch. plus The Brigadiers Quartet
That's a mouthful!
This 45 rpm single needed a flipside and it has what I think is a great little nugget - "When Christmas Comes to Our House" by Dottie Evans:
Always fun to hear a unique song!
These tracks were included on the 1955 album "When Christmas Comes to Our House" and a bunch of other budget LPs on a bunch of Enoch Light- related labels, often using the same cover photo.
I must point out that I totally want that train set and fire truck!
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