Resource id #75
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Teddy Powell

Teddy Powell (March 1, 1905 – November 17, 1993) was born in Oakland, California, United States, as Teodoro Paolella, and became a respected American jazz musician, band leader, composer, and arranger. Some of his compositions were written under the pseudonym Freddy James.

Powell began playing violin when he was eight and picked up the banjo when he was fourteen. During the late 1920s to the early 1930s, he was a member of the Abe Lyman orchestra, taking on the additional tasks of gathering radio bands. He formed the Teddy Powell Orchestra in 1939 and it performed through the 1940s. Powell's sidemen included Tony Aless, Gus Bivona, Pete Candoli, Irving Fazola, and Charlie Ventura, but his best sideman left for better paying work.

"Snake Charmer", a song Powell published in 1937 (lyrics by Leonard Whitcup), is still a popular song among partner dancers in Finland, where it is usually performed as a translation: Kuningaskobra fi). It placed 69th on the 1952-1959 charts, and is still being recorded by modern performers, as listed in the recordings database of the Finnish national broadcasting company Yle.

After the band folded, Powell wrote music and arrangements. He had hits with "Bewildered" and "If My Heart Could Only Talk". During the latter part of his career, he worked in music publishing.


Birth and Death Data: Born March 1, 1905 (Oakland), Died November 17, 1993 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1934 - 1950

Roles Represented in DAHR: director, songwriter, leader, composer, arranger

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 135 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-80227 10-in. 2/5/1934 I can't go on like this Lee Bennett ; Jan Garber Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-81368 10-in. 2/7/1934 I can't go on like this Tal Henry ; North Carolinians ; Taz Wolter Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-81704 10-in. 2/14/1934 I can't go on like this Biltmore Trio Male vocal trio, with guitar composer  
Victor BS-86407 10-in. 12/7/1934 Drifting along on Dreamy River Angelo Ferdinando ; Hotel Great Northern Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-92585 10-in. 7/9/1935 I couldn't believe my eyes Connecticut Yankees ; Rudy Vallée Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-95083 10-in. 9/27/1935 Take me back to my boots and saddle Jimmy Ray Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-95141 10-in. 9/26/1935 Take me back to my boots and saddle Tommy Dorsey Orchestra ; Cliff Weston Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-95688 10-in. 10/31/1935 Take me back to my boots and saddle Carroll Hollister ; John Charles Thomas Baritone vocal solo, with piano songwriter  
Victor BS-96269 10-in. 11/4/1935 Take me back to my boots and saddle The Girls of the Golden West Female vocal duet, with guitar songwriter  
Victor BS-99545 10-in. 2/6/1936 Sundown in Peaceful Valley George Hall ; Hotel Taft Orchestra ; Johnny McKeever Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-99903 10-in. 3/19/1936 Blazin' the trail (To my home) Al Bowlly ; Ray Noble Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-0218 10-in. 8/20/1936 Cottage by the moon Wingy Manone Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-03899 10-in. 1/7/1937 If my heart could only talk Jack Leonard ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-04536 10-in. 1/30/1937 If my heart could only talk George Hall ; Hotel Taft Orchestra ; Johnny McKeever Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-06418 10-in. 3/18/1937 Spring cleaning Fats Waller and his Rhythm Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-06856 10-in. 4/8/1937 Spring cleaning Ted Mack Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-010173 10-in. 5/14/1937 Heaven help this heart of mine Buddy Clark ; Eddy Duchin Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-010598 10-in. 6/18/1937 The lady from Fifth Avenue Ruth Bradley ; Bunny Berigan Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-011140 10-in. 7/2/1937 Heaven help this heart of mine Connecticut Yankees ; Rudy Vallée Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble songwriter  
Victor BS-011830 10-in. 8/2/1937 The lady from Fifth Avenue Hod Williams Orchestra Jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor BS-013508 10-in. 9/9/1937 Tears in my heart Shirley Brown ; Willie Farmer Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-013523 10-in. 9/11/1937 Tears in my heart Clambake Seven ; Tommy Dorsey ; Edythe Wright Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-014686 10-in. 10/15/1937 Snake charmer Jerry Blaine ; Stream Line Rhythm Jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor BS-015529 10-in. 10/21/1937 Sailing home Neil Buckley ; Don Bestor Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-017083 10-in. 11/19/1937 Rollin' plains Jimmy Ray ; Southern Serenaders Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
(Results 1-25 of 135 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Powell, Teddy," accessed March 18, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106247.

Powell, Teddy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106247.

"Powell, Teddy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106247

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