Erskine Hawkins Orchestra

The Bama State Collegians is a student jazz orchestra made up of students at Alabama State University. This group was organized in the late 1920s by Len Bowden, Fess Whatley, and Paul Bascomb. Bowden went on to direct the Navy's music program at Camp Robert Smalls during World War II. John Tuggle "Fess" Whatley (1895-1972) was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and has a K-8 school in Birmingham named after him.

The Bama State Collegians have been directed by a number of notable musicians, including Tommy Stewart and Erskine Hawkins.

The group also holds an important place in jazz history. In 1934, the entire group travelled to New York and became the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra, recording hit records such as Tuxedo Junction, which rose to No. 7 nationally by Erskine Hawkins and No. 1 by Glenn Miller. Members of this band worked with the NBC Orchestra, the Lucky Millinder Orchestra, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Louis Armstrong and others.

Among those who have played with the orchestra are Dud Bascomb, Paul Bascomb, Avery Parrish, and Haywood Henry.

In 2011, the story of Erskine Hawkins and his start in the Bama State Collegians was the subject of a Florida State University Film School MFA Thesis Film "The Collegians", written and directed by Alabama State University alumn Bryan Lewis.

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1938 - 1956

Roles Represented in DAHR: Musical group

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

Recordings (Results 101-125 of 133 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor D6VB-2841 10-in. 9/11/1946 Somebody loves me Erskine Hawkins Orchestra ; Erskine Hawkins Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band Musical group  
Victor D6VB-2842 10-in. 9/11/1946 I had a good cry Erskine Hawkins Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band and trombone solo Musical group  
Victor D7VB-0296 10-in. 4/30/1947 My baby didn't even say goodbye Erskine Hawkins Orchestra ; Erskine Hawkins Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band Musical group  
Victor D7VB-0297 10-in. 4/30/1947 Coast to coast Erskine Hawkins Orchestra ; Erskine Hawkins Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Victor D7VB-0298 10-in. 4/30/1947 Ain't I losin' you? Erskine Hawkins Orchestra ; Jimmy Mitchell Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band Musical group  
Victor D7VB-1570 10-in. 8/26/1947 Fool that I am Erskine Hawkins Orchestra Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band Musical group  
Victor D7VB-1572 10-in. 8/26/1947 I'm so doggone melancholy Erskine Hawkins Orchestra ; Jimmy Mitchell Vocal solo with jazz/dance band Musical group  
Victor D7VB-2672 10-in. 12/18/1947 Needle points Erskine Hawkins Orchestra ; Erskine Hawkins Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Victor D7VB-2847 10-in. 12/18/1947 Big fat Sam Erskine Hawkins Orchestra ; Jimmy Mitchell Male vocal solo, with vocal chorus and jazz/dance band Musical group  
Victor D7VB-2848 10-in. 12/18/1947 Sad eyes Erskine Hawkins Orchestra ; Laura Washington Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band Musical group  
Victor D7VB-2849 10-in. 12/18/1947 Lazy blues Erskine Hawkins Orchestra ; Erskine Hawkins Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Victor D7VB-2949 10-in. 12/23/1947 Gabriel's heater Erskine Hawkins Orchestra ; Erskine Hawkins Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Victor D7VB-2950 10-in. 12/23/1947 I'd love to make love to you Erskine Hawkins Orchestra ; Erskine Hawkins ; Laura Washington Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band Musical group  
Victor D8VB-4092 10-in. 12/21/1948 Cold hearted woman Erskine Hawkins Orchestra ; Jimmy Mitchell Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band Musical group  
Victor D8VB-4093 10-in. 12/21/1948 Brooklyn bounce Erskine Hawkins Orchestra Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Victor D9VB-0280 10-in. 3/11/1949 Texas hop Erskine Hawkins Orchestra Jazz/dance band Musical group  
Victor D9VB-0281 10-in. 3/11/1949 I wish somebody cared enough to cry Erskine Hawkins Orchestra ; Jimmy Mitchell Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band Musical group  
Decca 76827 9/11/1950 so long, goodbye blues Erskine Hawkins Orchestra Musical group  
Decca 76828 9/11/1950 Skippin' and hoppin' Erskine Hawkins Orchestra Musical group  
Decca 76829 9/11/1950 Down beat Erskine Hawkins Orchestra Musical group  
Decca 76830 9/11/1950 Tennessee waltz Erskine Hawkins Orchestra Musical group  
Decca 80262 12/6/1950 After hours-1 Erskine Hawkins Orchestra Musical group  
Decca 80263 12/6/1950 No regrets Erskine Hawkins Orchestra Musical group  
Decca 80264 12/6/1950 Tuxedo junction-2 Erskine Hawkins Orchestra Musical group  
Decca 80265 12/6/1950 Bear mash blues-3 Erskine Hawkins Orchestra Musical group  
(Results 101-125 of 133 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Erskine Hawkins Orchestra," accessed March 29, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111954.

Erskine Hawkins Orchestra. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111954.

"Erskine Hawkins Orchestra." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 29 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111954

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