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Pee Wee Hunt

Walter Gerhardt "Pee Wee" Hunt (May 10, 1907 – June 22, 1979) was an American jazz trombonist, vocalist, and bandleader. Hunt was born in Mount Healthy, Ohio. He developed a musical interest at an early age, as his mother, Sadie, played the banjo and his father, Edgar C., played violin. He had a younger sister, Marian, and younger brother, Raymond. The teenage Hunt was a banjoist with a local band while he was attending college at Ohio State University, where he majored in Electrical Engineering, and during his college years he switched from banjo to trombone. He graduated from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. He joined Jean Goldkette's Orchestra in 1928.

Hunt was the co-founder and featured trombonist with the Casa Loma Orchestra, but he left the group in 1943 to work as a Hollywood radio disc jockey, before joining the Merchant Marine near the end of World War II. He returned to the West Coast music scene in 1946. His "Twelfth Street Rag" was a three million-selling, number one hit in September 1948. He was satirized as Pee Wee Runt and his All-Flea Dixieland Band in Tex Avery's animated MGM cartoon Dixieland Droopy (1954). His second major hit was "Oh!" (1953), his second million-selling disc, which reached number three in the Billboard chart.

At age 72, Hunt died after a long illness in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Hunt and his wife, Ruth, had a daughter, Holly, and a son, Lawrence.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 10, 1907 (Mount Healthy), Died June 22, 1979 (Plymouth)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1930 - 1943

Roles Represented in DAHR: trombone, vocalist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 282 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 39133 10-in. 11/16/1934 The object of my affection Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone, vocalist  
Decca 39174 10-in. 12/19/1934 Just a fair-weather friend Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 39175 10-in. 12/19/1934 I woke up too soon Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 39176 10-in. 12/19/1934 In my country that means love Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone, vocalist  
Decca 39233 10-in. 1/9/1935 Fare Thee well, Annabelle Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone, vocalist  
Decca 39234 10-in. 1/9/1935 When I grow too old to dream Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 39235 10-in. 1/9/1935 The night is young Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 39236 10-in. 1/9/1935 In a blue and pensive mood Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone, vocalist  
Decca 39253 10-in. 1/16/1935 You're the top, part 2 Decca All-Star Review vocalist  
Decca 39333 10-in. 2/6/1935 The little man with the hammer Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone, vocalist  
Decca 39334 10-in. 2/6/1935 Who's sorry now ? Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 39335 10-in. 2/6/1935 Ain't it just too bad ? Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone, vocalist  
Decca 39336 10-in. 2/6/1935 Things might have been so diff'rent Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 39374 10-in. 2/20/1935 Lookie, lookie, lookie, here comes Cookie Casa Loma Orchestra ; Glen Gray instrumentalist, trombone, vocalist  
Decca 39375 10-in. 2/20/1935 My dance Casa Loma Orchestra ; Glen Gray instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 39376 10-in. 2/20/1935 Love and a dime ; East of the sun Casa Loma Orchestra ; Glen Gray instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 39377 10-in. 2/20/1935 My heart is an open book Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 39401 10-in. 3/13/1935 You're walking in my sleep Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 39402 10-in. 3/13/1935 Cotton Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone, vocalist  
Decca 39403 10-in. 3/13/1935 Love passes by Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 39469 10-in. 4/3/1935 Once upon a midnight Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 39470 10-in. 4/3/1935 Two heads against the moon Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 39471 10-in. 4/3/1935 Song of spring Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 39472 10-in. 4/3/1935 Chant of the jungle Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
Decca 39919 10-in. 9/4/1935 Without a word of warning Glen Gray Orchestra instrumentalist, trombone  
(Results 26-50 of 282 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Hunt, Pee Wee," accessed May 20, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106359.

Hunt, Pee Wee. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 20, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106359.

"Hunt, Pee Wee." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 20 May 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106359

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