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James Kern Kyser (June 18, 1905 – July 23, 1985), known as Kay Kyser, was an American bandleader and radio personality of the 1930s and 1940s.
Owing to his popularity and enthusiasm as a cheerleader, he was invited by Hal Kemp to take over as bandleader when Kemp ventured north to further his career. He began taking clarinet lessons but was better as an entertaining announcer than a musician. He adopted the initial of his middle name as part of his stage name, for its alliterative effect.
They were popular at Chicago's Blackhawk restaurant, where Kyser came up with an act combining a quiz with music which became "Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge." The act was broadcast on the Mutual Broadcasting System in 1938 and then moved to NBC Radio from 1939 to 1949. The show rose in the ratings and spawned many imitators. Kyser led the band as "The Ol' Perfessor", spouting , some with a degree of Southern American English: "That's right—you're wrong", "Evenin' folks, how y'all?" and "C'mon, chillun! Le's dance!"
Unlike most other big bands of the era, which centered on only the bandleader, individual members of Kyser's band became stars in their own right and would often receive the spotlight. Some of the more popular members included vocalist Harry Babbitt, cornetist Merwyn Bogue (a.k.a. Ish Kabibble), trombonist Bruce King, saxophonist Jack Martin (who sang lead vocal on the number one hit, "Strip Polka"), Ginny Simms (who had her own successful acting and singing career after leaving Kyser's band), Sully Mason, Mike Douglas (years before he became a popular TV talk show host) and Georgia Carroll.
Carroll, a blonde fashion model and actress whose best-known role was Betsy Ross in Yankee Doodle Dandy, was dubbed "Gorgeous Georgia Carroll" when she joined the group in 1943. Within a year, she and Kyser married.
Kyser was also known for singing song titles, a device copied by Sammy Kaye and Blue Barron. When the song began, one of the band's lead singers (usually Babbitt) sang the title phrase, and then the first verse or two of the song was performed instrumentally before the lyrics resumed. Several of his recordings spawned catch phrases, such as "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition".
His group had a major hit with the novelty tune, "Three Little Fishes". It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA.
During the Swing Era, Kyser, Hal Kemp and Tal Henry often performed in or near New York City, making possible a reunion of North Carolina musicians. Later, after retirement, Kyser and Henry got together to share music world memories.
Inspired by Rosalind P. Walter, Kyser helped popularize the song "Rosie the Riveter".
His Top Hits (1986). 9780898200836, Record Research Inc.. ISBN 9780898200836
The Umbrella Man (vocals by Ginny Simms & Harry Babbitt) (1939)
Three Little Fishes (vocals by Ginny Simms & Harry Babbitt)(1939)
(Lights Out) 'Til Reveille (vocals by Ginny Simms, Harry Babbitt. Max Williams & Jack Martin)(1941)
(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover (vocals by Harry Babbitt & Glee Club) (1941)
Who Wouldn't Love You (vocals by Trudy Erwin & Harry Babbitt) (1942)
Jingle, Jangle, Jingle (vocal by Julie Conway & Harry Babbitt) (1942)
He Wears a Pair of Silver Wings (vocal by Harry Babbitt) (1942)
Strip Polka (vocal by Jack Martin) (1942)
Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition (vocal by Glee Club) (1942)
Ole Buttermilk Sky (vocal by Mike Douglas & Campus Kids) (1946)
Woody Woodpecker (vocal By Gloria Wood & Campus Kids) (1948)
See also Kay Kyser's Greatest Hits
In Carolina Blues (1944), Kyser has to replace his lead singer (Carroll) who has run off to get married. Caught in a jam, he reluctantly hires the daughter of a powerful defense plant owner, played by Ann Miller. Two of the band's best-known performance appearances were in 1943 when they appeared in the wartime films Stage Door Canteen and Thousands Cheer. Kyser appeared as a light comedian; he acted with (and was billed above) John Barrymore in Barrymore's final film Playmates (1941). Kyser is the dupe in a scam where Barrymore pretends to teach him how to act in Shakespearean drama.
Kyser also appeared in a Porky Pig cartoon, Africa Squeaks (1940). In the cartoon, he voiced a caricature of himself called "Cake-Icer," at the request of director Bob Clampett. "Radio Round Up: Authentic Radio Voices in Cartoons". Retrieved 2018-05-02. A caricature (unnamed) of Kyser as the "Lil Perfessor" was seen in the Warner Brothers cartoon Malibu Beach Party.
After the war, Kyser's band continued to record hit records, including two featuring Jane Russell as vocalist. It's All Up to You features vocals by Frank Sinatra and Dinah Shore, although Kyser's participation in this recording is disputed, record label showing Axel Stordahl as conductor. Kyser had intended to retire following the end of the war, but performance and recording contracts kept him in show business for another half decade.
During this time, Kyser made a Cameo appearance appearance in a Batman comic book. Kyser was first to introduce the new sonic audio process called the 'sonovox', a singing electronic voice triggered by music. The Sonovox would be used by Jingle Companies such as PAMS and JAM Creative Productions, and said jingles would be used in heavy rotation by rock radio stations such as WABC, WMEX, WXYZ, KONO, WKDA, and WHTZ.
Kyser supported various philanthropic causes after his retirement from music including health care, educational television, and highway safety. Kyser supported the construction of a wing in St. John's hospital in Santa Monica, and there is a portrait of him at the entrance of its medical library. He also helped raise $62 million to build more hospitals and train nurses in his home state of North Carolina, lobbied the state legislature, and had his entertainment friends including Frank Sinatra and Dinah Shore do a commercial in support of expanding healthcare in the state. Kyser also supported his old school, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, especially the arts, through the Kyser Foundation which gave scholarships to UNC music and drama students; and supported the university's theatre, pharmacy school, and its Center for Public Television. He also gave to the North Carolina Symphony Society, the first state symphony orchestra in the country.
In 1962, several members of the Kay Kyser team (including Babbit, Kabibble, and Simms but not Kyser himself) reunited at Capitol Records to record an album of new versions of Kyser's greatest hits. Comedian Stan Freberg, one of Capitol's regular artists, did an impression of Kay's original song introductions.
Kyser was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 1999.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is custodian of a large archive of documents and material about Kyser which was donated by his widow and made available to the public on April 8, 2008.
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