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 376-400 of 607 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Brunswick E29700 10-in. Apr. 1929 Big city blues Arnold Johnson Orchestra ; Scrappy Lambert Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29708 10-in. 4/18/1929 Indiana Five Pennies ; Red Nichols Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Brunswick E29709 10-in. 4/18/1929 Dinah Five Pennies ; Red Nichols Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Brunswick E29710 10-in. 4/18/1929 On the Alamo Five Pennies ; Scrappy Lambert ; Red Nichols Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29711 10-in. 4/19/1929 Sing a little love song Colonial Club Orchestra ; Scrappy Lambert Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29721 10-in. Apr. 1929 Why can’t you? Ben Bernie ; Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra ; Scrappy Lambert Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29722 10-in. Apr. 1929 Little pal (Amiguito) Ben Bernie ; Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29844 10-in. May 1929 Pagan love song Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist  
Brunswick E29845 10-in. May 1929 [Unknown title(s)] Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist  
Brunswick E29846 10-in. May 1929 Evangeline Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist  
Brunswick E29927 10-in. May 1929 Then we canoodle-oodle along Herbert Gordon ; Hotel Ten Eyck Whispering Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29934 10-in. May 1929 Here we are Ben Bernie ; Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29935 10-in. May 1929 Please let me dream in your arms Ben Bernie ; Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29939 10-in. May 1929 The wedding of the painted doll Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist  
Brunswick E29940 10-in. May 1929 Mother’s boy Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist  
Brunswick XE29957 12-in. 5/20/1929 Sally, won’t you come back Five Pennies ; Red Nichols Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet vocalist  
Brunswick E29958 10-in. 5/20/1929 Sugar is back in town Cotton Pickers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29973 10-in. May 1929 Sorrows Meyer Davis' Hotel Astor Orchestra ; Joe Moss Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E29974 10-in. May 1929 At the peep of dawn (I love you) Jack Denny ; Mount Royal Hotel Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick XE29994 12-in. 6/7/1929 It had to be you Five Pennies ; Red Nichols Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick XE29995 12-in. 6/7/1929 I’ll see you in my dreams Five Pennies ; Red Nichols Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick XE29996 12-in. 6/7/1929 Some of these days Five Pennies ; Red Nichols Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E30074 10-in. 6/18/1929 In the hush of the night Hal Kemp Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E30075 10-in. 6/18/1929 Where are you dream girl? Hal Kemp Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick XE30690 12-in. 8/16/1929 Brunswick brevities program C, part 6 Colonial Club Orchestra Radio transcription disc : Jazz/dance band; with male vocal solo ("That's you, baby") vocalist  
(Results 376-400 of 607 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Lambert, Scrappy," accessed April 26, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109632.

Lambert, Scrappy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 26, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109632.

"Lambert, Scrappy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 26 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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