Scrappy Lambert

Harold "Scrappy" Lambert (May 12, 1901 – November 30, 1987, in New Brunswick, New Jersey) was an American dance-band vocalist who appeared on hundreds of recordings from the 1920s to the 1940s.

At Rutgers University, he was a cheerleader and played piano for a jazz group, the Rutgers Jazz Bandits. In February 1925, fellow student Billy Hillpot and he formed a musical duo impersonating the Smith Brothers. They were discovered in 1926 by Ben Bernie, who signed them to perform with his orchestra. Lambert and Hillpot appeared on many recordings with the orchestra and remained under Bernie's employ until 1928.

Other bandleaders who employed Lambert include Red Nichols, Frank Britton Wenzel, Fred Rich, and Sam Lanin.

In the 1920s and early 1930s, Lambert was one of the most prolific "band vocalists" (hired to sing the vocal chorus on recordings by both performing orchestras and studio groups). His voice is featured on hundreds of recordings and a series of vocal solo recordings for Brunswick.

In the 1930s, Lambert and Hillpot took their comedy routine to the National Broadcasting Company. In 1943, MCA offered Lambert a job overseeing their radio department in Beverly Hills, California. This marked the end of his singing career, and he worked for MCA until 1948. He was living in Palm Springs at the time of his death, in Riverside, California.

"Cheerio, Cherry Lips, Cheerio", a 1929 vocal that Lambert recorded under the name Gordon Wallace, has been the closing theme of Dr. Demento's weekly radio broadcast since the early 1970s.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 12, 1901 (New Brunswick), Died November 30, 1987 (Riverside)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1926 - 1933

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, tenor vocal, composer

Notes: Also used pseudonym Burt Lorin.

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

Recordings (Results 351-375 of 607 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Brunswick E29348 10-in. Feb. 1929 Coquette Ben Bernie ; Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29349 10-in. Feb. 1929 Till we meet Ben Bernie ; Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29466 10-in. 3/31/1929 A happy ending The Eight Radio Stars ; Scrappy Lambert Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29467 10-in. 3/31/1929 Always in my heart The Eight Radio Stars ; Scrappy Lambert Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and whistling; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29473 10-in. 3/15/1929 The one that I love loves me Scrappy Lambert ; Meyer Davis’ Swanee Syncopators Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal vocalist  
Brunswick E29483 10-in. Mar. 1929 Dream mother Bob Haring Orchestra ; Scrappy Lambert Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29492 10-in. Mar. 1929 I never guessed Copley Plaza Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29507 10-in. 3/20/1929 (Step by step—mile by mile) I’m marching home to you The Captivators ; Scrappy Lambert ; Red Nichols Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29508 10-in. 3/20/1929 Building a nest for Mary The Captivators ; Scrappy Lambert ; Red Nichols Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29509 10-in. 3/20/1929 I used to love her in the moonlight (But she’s in the limelight now) The Captivators ; Scrappy Lambert ; Red Nichols Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29523½ 10-in. 3/27/1929 Rampart Street blues Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29524 10-in. 3/27/1929 St. Louis gal Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29525 10-in. 3/27/1929 Kansas City Kitty Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet vocalist  
Brunswick E29556 10-in. March 1929 I kiss your hand, Madame Ben Bernie ; Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra ; Scrappy Lambert Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29557 10-in. Mar. 1929 I’ve got a feeling I’m falling Ben Bernie ; Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra ; Scrappy Lambert Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29561 10-in. Mar. 1929 Lady of the morning Copley Plaza Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29568 10-in. 3/31/1929 Under the stars of Havana The Eight Radio Stars ; Scrappy Lambert Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and whistling; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29581 10-in. 4/5/1929 Kansas City Kitty The Original Memphis Five Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal vocalist  
Brunswick E29582 10-in. Apr. 1929 My kinda love Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist  
Brunswick E29583 10-in. Apr. 1929 Coquette Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist  
Brunswick E29591 10-in. Apr. 1929 I’ve got a feeling I’m falling Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist  
Brunswick E29592 10-in. Apr. 1929 Mean to me Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist  
Brunswick E29593 10-in. Apr. 1929 My sin Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist  
Brunswick E29598 10-in. April 1929 Love me or leave me Colonial Club Orchestra ; Scrappy Lambert Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29599 10-in. Apr. 1929 Breakaway Arnold Johnson Orchestra ; Scrappy Lambert Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
(Results 351-375 of 607 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Lambert, Scrappy," accessed April 18, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109632.

Lambert, Scrappy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109632.

"Lambert, Scrappy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109632

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