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Debut release: Taking A Chance On Love
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
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Biography
Biography
Gaetano Alberto "Guy" Lombardo (June 19, 1902 – November 5, 1977) was a Canadian and American bandleader, violinist, and hydroplane racer whose unique sweet jazz style remained popular with audiences for nearly five decades.
Lombardo formed the Royal Canadians in 1924 with his brothers Carmen, Lebert and Victor, and other musicians from his hometown. They billed themselves as creating "the sweetest music this side of HeavenThe Sweetest Music This Side of HeavenSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 25 tracks1You're Driving Me Crazy (What Did I Do?)3:212Swingin' in a Hammock3:313Coquette3:054Where the Shy Little Violets Grow3:325I'm Confessin' That I Love You3:176Goofus2:387Vilia2:548You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me2:539Young and Healthy3:1310Stormy Weather3:2511Morning, Noon and Night3:0812Don't Blame Me3:1813Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?3:2214I Raised My Hat3:1015Restless3:0516I Won't Dance3:2517Lovely to Look At2:4318There's a Little Picture Playhouse in My Heart2:3119Boo Hoo3:0720Ti-Pi-Tin2:4721Faithful Forever3:0122All the Things You Are (feat. Mert Curtis)3:1623Run, Little Raindrop, Run2:3024Idaho (feat. Marie Lombardo)2:4525Auld Lang Syne2:31". The Lombardos are believed to have sold between 100 and 300 million records during their lifetimes, many featuring the band's lead singer from 1940 onward, Kenny Gardner.
Early life
Lombardo was born in London, Ontario, Canada. His parents were Italian immigrants: Gaetano Alberto who was born in Lipari, Italy (1873–1954), and Angelina Lombardo. Gaetano Sr. was employed as a tailor but was also an amateur baritone singer. He encouraged four of his five young sons to study musical instruments so that they could serve as his accompanists. Consequently, even as a young student in grammar school, Lombardo joined with his brothers to form their first orchestra. Rehearsals took place behind the family's tailor shop. Lombardo's first public appearance with his brother Carmen occurred during an outdoor lawn party at a church in London, Ontario, in 1914. The Lombardo quartet made its first significant debut at an outdoor dance pavilion in Grand Bend, Ontario, during the summer of 1919.
By 1920, Lombardo's band showcased the talents of several of his brothers including: Carmen, who was the group's music director and arranger, played lead saxophone in the distinctive four saxophone sound, led the reed section while also composing many songs, Lebert, who played lead trumpet, and subsequently Victor who played baritone sax. Guy played violin but not with his orchestra. The ensemble spent the winter season during 1922–1923 at the Winter Garden in London and the summer season of 1923 in Port Stanley, Ontario. By 1923 the Lombardo Brothers' Orchestra now included: Archie Cunningham, (saxophone), Jim Dillon (trombone), Eddie Mashurette (tuba) and Francis "Muff" Henry (guitar). In late 1923, the band ventured outside Canada on tour to Cleveland, Ohio. By 1924, the band was known as Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians and a two-year residency started at the Claremont Tent nightclub in Cleveland. The owner of the club (Louis Bleet) is credited with coaching Lombardo's band and assisting in developing its unique performance style. While in Cleveland, Lombardo arranged to perform on an unsponsored program for WTAM radio, which contributed to the development of a strong following for his appearances in the area. His band's first recording session occurred in Richmond, Indiana, at the Gennett Studios in early 1924. This is also where cornetist Bix Beiderbecke made his recordings in the same year.
Royal Canadians
Subsequently, Lombardo's orchestra recorded twice for Brunswick. The first session took place in Cleveland in late 1926 but the recording was rejected. The second recording was accepted for the Vocalion label in early 1927. Lombardo's ensemble left the Cleveland area in 1927 for Chicago, where it appeared at the Granada Cafe and broadcast on the radio station WBBM. Soon thereafter, several lucrative recording contracts emerged. Between 1927 and 1931 Lombardo made 45 recordings on 78's for the Columbia label. These were followed by forty additional recordings upon his return to the Brunswick label in 1932 which lasted until 1934, when he joined forces with Decca (1934–35). By late 1935 an opportunity with Victor records emerged and Lombardo stayed with the label until the middle of 1938. Subsequently, he returned to Decca until 1957. Total sales from Lombardo's recordings exceeded 300 million copies by the early 1970s and supported his reputation as the leader of the most popular dance band of his era. Between 1941 and 1948, Lombardo's sister Rose Marie, the youngest of all seven Lombardo siblings, also joined the band as its first female vocalist.
Between 1927 and 1954, Lombardo & His Royal Canadians sold well above 100 million records on all labels, including Columbia, Brunswick, Decca, and RCA Victor and estimates place his total worldwide record sales between 100 and 300 million copies. This figure makes the band one of the highest selling recording groups of all time, despite the low population base and family incomes of Lombardo's prime decades.
In 1929, Lombardo began a series of appearances at the Roosevelt Grill in the Roosevelt Hotel which lasted for over three decades. He also performed in Los Angeles during the 1930s, and became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1938. He continued to tour in major cities within both Canada and the United States after leaving the Roosevelt Hotel in 1962. Yet, despite his success as a recording artist, some jazz critics described Lombardo's "sweet" big-band style as "boring, mainstream pap." The legendary jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong disagreed and often described Lombardo's band as his favorite orchestra. In fact, Lombardo's band enjoyed remarkable broad appeal which crossed racial boundaries. While performing at the famed Savoy Ballroom in Harlem his band even set a new attendance record in 1930.
After Guy Lombardo's death in 1977, his surviving brothers Victor and Lebert took over the Royal Canadians, though Victor left the band early in 1978 over creative differences. From 1980, the name was franchised out to various band leaders. Lebert died in 1993, passing rights to the band name to three of his six children. The band was revived in 1989 by Al Pierson and remained active as of 2021.
New Year's Eve radio and TV programs
Lombardo is perhaps best remembered for his big band remote broadcasts which were carried on several national radio and television networks for nearly fifty years. Starting in 1929, the Royal Canadians began broadcasting live from the Roosevelt Grill in the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City as "radio's first nationwide New Year's Eve broadcast". Invariably, each broadcast closed with Lombardo's rendition of the song Auld Lang Syne as part of the annual New Year's Eve tradition. The broadcasts proved to be immensely popular and continued from this venue until 1959 when they were transferred to the Grand Ballroom at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel where they continued until 1976. These radio and television broadcasts soon played a central role in New Year's celebrations across North America as millions of celebrants enjoyed the festivities within the comfort of their own homes.Time magazine even reported that the American public would simply not believe it was New Year's Day until Guy Lombardo heralded its arrival from the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Due to his widespread popularity, Lombardo was nicknamed "Mr. New Year's Eve" and received a citation of recognition from the United States Congress for his musical message of hope, peace and happiness for all mankind.
The band's first New Year's Eve radio broadcast was in 1929; within a few years, they were heard live on the CBS Radio Network before midnight Eastern Time, then on the NBC Radio Network after midnight. As a result, by 1954 Lombardo's popularity soared and sales of his recordings with the Royal Canadians Orchestra soon exceeded 100 million copies. He and the band played in Washington D.C. at the inaugural balls for every U.S. president from Franklin Roosevelt to Dwight Eisenhower, and the Royal Canadians would later play at Ronald Reagan's inaugural ball in 1985.
On December 31, 1956, the Lombardo's first New Year's TV special aired on the CBS network. The program showcased live segments from New York City's Times Square and continued on New Year's Eve for two decades. CBS continued to broadcast most of Lombardo's New Year's television specials on its national network between 1965 and 1970 and the special was also syndicated live to individual TV stations. By the mid-1970s, however, competition emerged for younger audiences who preferred Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. Nevertheless, Lombardo remained popular among older viewers.
Following Lombardo's death in 1977, his New Year's TV specials continued for an additional two years on CBS. Subsequently, Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve came into prominence. The Royal Canadians' recording of the traditional song "Auld Lang SyneAuld Lang SyneSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Boo Hoo3:072Annie Doesn't Live Here Anymore3:133Young and Healthy3:124We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye3:135Inka Dinka Doo2:576River Stay 'Way From My Door3:167Something in the Air3:268(There Ought to Be A) Moonlight Saving Time3:259The Spell of the Blues2:4510St. Louis Blues4:0611Cheek to Cheek3:1612It Ain't Necessarily So3:1613Sweethearts on Parade2:5514Bei mir bist Du schön2:1515Ti-Pi-Tin2:4616The Love Bug Will Bite You3:2317I Want to Be in Winchell's Column3:0518Auld Lang Syne2:31" is also played as the first song of the new year in Times Square followed by "Theme from New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra, "America the Beautiful" by Ray Charles, "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong, "Over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole, and Kenny G's rendition of "Auld Lang Syne". The 1979-80 edition of New Year's Eve with Guy Lombardo's Royal Canadians moved back to syndication and only featured the celebration at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, with nephew Bill Lombardo leading the band for the second year. Independent station WPIX in New York City was among the local stations that aired the final Royal Canadians' New Year's Eve special to air live on television.
In September 1994, PBS taped New Year’s Eve with Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians, a one-hour special that was a tribute to Lombardo with clips of previous Lombardo New Year's Eve specials. Albert Pizzamiglio, better known as Al Pierson, led the Royal Canadians for this special, which aired on December 31, 1994 (no live countdown leading into 1995 was featured). Gavin MacLeod (formerly of The Love Boat) was the emcee for the special, which was taped at the Manhattan Center Studios in New York City. It also doubled as a benefit for the deaf.
Other radio
In the early 1940s Lombardo appeared as a guest on NBC's Red Network in the weekly broadcast of the "I'm An American" radio show. Presented by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service, the program included interviews with prominent naturalized American citizens of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds who made exceptional contributions to American society within literature, politics, the arts and sciences. When asked to reflect upon the advantages of citizenship within America's democracy, Lombardo adeptly replied, "You don't have to be millionaires or even well-to-do to dance to good dance music in America". Also included among the honorees on the program were: Frank Capra, Albert Einstein, Thomas Mann and Kurt Weill.
Beginning June 14, 1953, Guy Lombardo and his orchestra had Guy Lombardo Time, the summer replacement for Jack Benny's radio program.
Other television
In 1954, Lombardo briefly hosted a half-hour syndicated series called The Guy Lombardo Show, and in 1956 Lombardo hosted a show on CBS for three months called Guy Lombardo's Diamond Jubilee.
Guy Lombardo played himself in the hit series Route 66 in the 1963 episode “But What Do You Do in March?” In 1975, Lombardo played himself again, in the first regular episode of Ellery Queen, "The Adventure of Auld Lang Syne," which was set at a Dec. 31, 1946 New Year's Eve gathering.
Film
As early as 1933, Lombardo appeared with his brothers Carmen, Lebert and Victor performing in the film Rambling 'Round Radio Row for Warner Brothers' Vitaphone division. Lombardo and his orchestra were also part of the 1934 film Many Happy Returns.
Jones Beach Theater
At the express invitation of Robert Moses, Lombardo served for two decades, as the impresario for numerous summer stock revivals of leading Broadway musicals at the Jones Beach Theater on the south shore of New York's Long Island. Beginning in 1954 with a production of Arabian Nights starring the operatic tenor Lauritz Melchior, Lombardo also collaborated with the producer Arnold Spector and choreographer June Taylor in 1964 to produce Around the World in 80 Days and continued to create opulent revivals of several Broadway musicals until 1977. He would often commute from his home in Freeport, Long Island to the lagoon adjacent to the theater on his yacht The Tempo IV to conduct his Royal Canadians Orchestra for dances in the Schaeffer Beer Tent after the shows.
Lombardo's productions at the seaside theater were noted for their glamorous and realistic waterborne set designs as well as their lush musical scores which were sometimes arranged by his brother Carmen. His early revival of Song of Norway in 1958 featured an actual iceberg floating down the lagoon toward the stage along with an authentic Viking ship. His 1961 rendition of the Hawaiian musical fantasy Paradise Island featured 32 native Hawaiian dancers diving off towers into the lagoon adjacent to the theater along with a 100 foot high waterfall. The 1965 production of Mardis Gras incorporated a floating set which ushered Louis Armstrong onstage for musical performances with his own band.
Over the decades, Lombardo also collaborated with leading musical artists in his revivals including: Nancy Dussault in the 1968 production of South Pacific, Constance Towers in the 1970 production of The Sound of Music, and Norman Atkins in the 1974 production of Fiddler on the Roof. From the realm of grand opera, Lombardo recruited such luminaries as Jerome Hines and James McCracken along with members of the New York City Ballet. He also enlisted talented actors from the Broadway stage including William Gaxton and Arthur Treacher for his production of Paradise Island in 1961 and the film actor Jules Munshin for his 1960 production of Hit the Deck. During the early years, members of Lombardo's fifteen original Royal Canadians were augmented by professional musicians recruited from the New York City area to serve within the pit orchestra as well as on stage. As a result, the orchestra itself often included between thirty and forty accomplished instrumentalists.
Lombardo often faced many challenges in the course of producing extravaganzas in such an outdoor venue during the summer season. The fickle weather conditions which prevailed near the shoreline often featured spontaneous drenching downpours which discouraged concertgoers. Still others balked at the prospect of making a long road trip from New York City onto Long Island for a show. In addition, complex negotiations with a variety of unions representing the stagehands, carpenters and electricians contributed to mounting production costs. Ultimately, the Lombardo brothers only broke even financially, despite years of dedicated service. Lombardo, however, did not have any regrets. In the final analysis his primary objective was to provide ordinary members of the general public with musical entertainment of the highest possible caliber, while also ensuring memorable nights of dancing pleasure to the strains of "the sweetest music this side of heavenThe Sweetest Music This Side of HeavenSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 25 tracks1You're Driving Me Crazy (What Did I Do?)3:212Swingin' in a Hammock3:313Coquette3:054Where the Shy Little Violets Grow3:325I'm Confessin' That I Love You3:176Goofus2:387Vilia2:548You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me2:539Young and Healthy3:1310Stormy Weather3:2511Morning, Noon and Night3:0812Don't Blame Me3:1813Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?3:2214I Raised My Hat3:1015Restless3:0516I Won't Dance3:2517Lovely to Look At2:4318There's a Little Picture Playhouse in My Heart2:3119Boo Hoo3:0720Ti-Pi-Tin2:4721Faithful Forever3:0122All the Things You Are (feat. Mert Curtis)3:1623Run, Little Raindrop, Run2:3024Idaho (feat. Marie Lombardo)2:4525Auld Lang Syne2:31".
Hydroplane racing
Lombardo's talents also extended beyond the realm of jazz music. He was also an active nautical enthusiast and participated in the sport of Step Boat speedboat racing. In 1946, he piloted his speedboat "Tempo VI" to victory, winning the Gold Cup. For a time, Lombardo even reigned as the U.S. national champion (1946–1949), utilizing a boat designed specifically for him and manufactured by John L. Hacker. He subsequently achieved victory in several other important races including: the Ford Memorial competition (1948), President's Cup (1952) as well as the Silver Cup in 1952. By the late 1950s, Lombardo had won every trophy in the field and retired from active competition. This followed his attempt in 1959 to utilize a jet engine-powered Tempo Alcoa to exceed the absolute water speed record. During a test run, the radio-controlled craft was destroyed while it surpassed a velocity of 250 mph. These numerous achievements led to his induction into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2002.
Lombardo also unveiled a robust line of fiberglass boats in 1958. Branded as the "Guy Lombardo Royal Fleet", these crafts were both manufactured and marketed by a subsidiary of the U. S. Pools Co. in Newark, New Jersey. in accordance with a license from the Skagit Plastics Co. of La Conner, Washington. Several years later, however, in 1961 the project was abandoned and Skagit Plastics discontinued production.
Later in life, Lombardo retired near the seashore at his home on the south shore of New York's Long Island in Freeport, where he docked his speedboats: Tempo, Tempo VI, and Tempo VII. The home has been designated as a historical landmark. In keeping with his nautical interests, he also invested in a nearby seafood restaurant called "Liota's East Point House" that eventually became "Guy Lombardo's East Point House".
Personal life
While playing at the Music Box in Cleveland, Lombardo met Lillibeth Glenn. They married in 1926.
Death
On November 5, 1977, Lombardo died of a heart attack. Another source says he died "of a lung ailment" following heart surgery. A spokesman from the hospital said it was "respiratory insufficiency" relating to a pulmonary problem. His wife, who died in 1982, was at his bedside when he died in Houston Methodist Hospital. He is interred at the Pinelawn Memorial Park in East Farmingdale, New York.
Tributes
In 1971 the United States Congress honored Guy Lombardo with an official recognition of his humanitarian accomplishments. In the same year he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Music by the University of Western Ontario.
The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame inducted Guy Lombardo in 2008.
Lombardo was featured on a postage stamp issued on December 17, 1999, as part of Canada Post's Millennium Collection.
Guy Lombardo has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.
In 2002, he was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame and had a star on its Walk of Fame in Toronto. In 1978, the Canadian Music Hall of Fame also inducted Guy Lombardo.
In his later home of Freeport, New York, there is Guy Lombardo Avenue. There is a bridge named after Lombardo in London, Ontario, near Wonderland Gardens, as well as Lombardo Avenue in north London near the University of Western Ontario.
The Guy Lombardo Society was created to preserve the music and history of Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians.
Guy Lombardo museum
From the mid-1980s until 2007, there was a museum dedicated to Guy Lombardo in London, Ontario, near the intersection of Wonderland Road and Springbank Drive. In September 2007, lacking visitors and funding, the museum was closed. Although the city owned many of the exhibits, most of the collection can be found at the private home of former part-time curator Douglas Flood. City staff recommended that the museum not be reopened. In early 2015 Flood scheduled an auction of remaining items from the collection, under protest from members of the Lombardo family.
Lebert Lombardo's children also have an extensive collection of artifacts, including photographs, record albums, sheet music, awards, and the band's framed first paycheck from 1918 in their homes and storage units in Fort Myers and Sanibel, Florida. They have tried to donate the collection to various universities and museums but have had no takers. The Library of Congress has a collection of Lombardo films.
Performance style
Over the decades, performances and recordings by Guy Lombardo's Royal Canadians Orchestra were reviewed by critics in such noted magazines as: The Billboard, the New York Times Theater Reviews. and the New York Herald Tribune Book Reviews. Lombardo was cited for his skillful use of muted drums, trumpets and clarinets, bright tempos and smooth, flowing melodic lines. While emphasizing a sedate performance style, Lombardo also discouraged the use of solo improvisations, riffs and driving swing rhythms in his arrangements. He also adopted the use of the tuba instead of the double bass in a harmonic role.
In a 1973 interview with CBC radio, Lombardo credited his brother Carmen with utilizing his talents as a self-taught flautist to develop a unique "round" sound for the saxophones as well as the influence of Paul Whiteman's band on his style. His "sweet" jazz style frequently incorporated lilting arrangements, much to the dismay of "serious" jazz devotees who favored "hot" jazz. Ironically, even the executives at Columbia Records were inclined to reject a sample recording submitted by Lombardo's band in 1927 on the grounds that it lacked the fast staccato tempo popularized by dance bands in the 1920s and was therefore not suitable for dancing.
Nevertheless, even Lombardo's detractors praised his orchestra for the skill and musicianship of its members. In fact, Lombardo's band was highly respected throughout the industry for its professionalism. Milt Gabler of Decca Records praised the band as "the most completely responsible band I ever knew." The legendary Louis Armstrong even singled out Lombardo's band as one of his favorites.
While Benny Goodman insisted that sweet music in general was "a weak sister incapable of holding its own in any artistic encounter with the real music of America", Lombardo's style continued to reign as the dominant influence among dance bands from the late 1920s until the arrival of the Swing Era in the mid-1930s and served as the foundation for the styles developed by Hal Kemp, Kay Kyser, Freddie Martin (who studied technique on the saxophone with Carmen Lombardo) and Sammy Kaye. In fact, Lombardo's smooth, mellow, lyrical style never quite disappeared even after World War II ended and helped to influence the subsequent development of various musical genres including easy listening.
The music critic Winthrop Sargeant brushed aside all doubts about Lombardo's music In his Jazz: Hot and Hybrid (1959:53) by asserting that it was "unquestionably a variety of jazz, a hybrid variety that has come as close as anything does to being the folk-music of the great mass of Americans". In the final analysis, Lombardo's simple direct interpretation of easily understood melodies continued to consistently attract huge audiences both in the dance halls and concert halls of America in a manner which remained popular with the public for five decades.
Singles discography
Over the decades, Lombardo and his Royal Canadians Orchestra recorded extensively on the Brunswick, Victor, Columbia and Decca record labels. Before the start of Billboard magazine's top 40 charts in 1940, Lombardo had over 140 hits from 1927 to 1940, including twenty-one No. 1 singles. The five biggest being "Charmaine", "It Looks Like Rain in Cherry Blossom Lane", "Boo-Hoo", "We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye", and "Red Sails in the Sunset".
The following singles made the "Top Ten" of the American Billboard singles charts from 1927 to 1940:
Columbia
The following appeared on the Columbia Records label:
Brunswick
The following appeared on the Brunswick Records label:
Decca (1934–1935)
The following appeared on the Decca Records label:
Decca (1939–1952)
The following singles made the "Top Ten" of the Billboard Singles Charts, 1940–1952.
Albums discography
During the 1950s and 1960s Lombardo and his Royal Canadians recorded several albums for the Decca, Capitol, London and Pickwick record labels.
Decca:
Decca DL 9014 Guy Lombardo Presents Arabian Nights (1954)
Decca DL 8070 A Night At The Roosevelt With Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians (1954)
Decca DL 8097 Lombardoland USA (1955)
Decca DL 8119 Guy Lombardo & His Twin Pianos (1955)
Decca DL 8135 Soft and Sweet (1955)
Decca DL 8136 Enjoy Yourself (1955)
Decca DL 8205 Waltztime (1956)
Decca DL 8208 The Band Played On (1956)
Decca DL 8249 Lombardoland Volume 1 (1956)
Decca DL 8251 Twin Piano Magic (1956)
Decca DL 8254 Everybody Dance to the Music (1956)
Decca DL 8255 Oh, How We Danced... (1956)
Decca DL 8256 Waltzland (1956)
Decca DL 8333 Silver Jubilee (1956)
Decca DL 8354 Jingle Bells (1956)
Decca DXM 154 The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven Vols. 1–4 (1957)
Decca DL 8843 Instrumentally Yours (1959)
Decca DL 8894 Sidewalks of New York (1959)
Decca DL 8895 Movieland Melodies (1959)
Decca DL 8898 Show Tunes (1959)
Decca DL 8962 Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven, A Musical Autobiography 1926–1932 (1960)
Decca DL 4123 The Sweetest Pianos This Side of Heaven (1960)
Decca DL 4149 Far Away Places (1962)
Decca DL 4117 New Year's Eve with Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians (1962)
Decca DL 4180 Dance to the Songs Everybody Knows (1962)
Decca DL 4229 The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven 1932–1939 (1962)
Decca DL 4268 The Best Songs Are the Old Songs (1962)
Decca DL 4280 By Special Request (1962)
Decca DL 4288 Dancing Piano (1962)
Decca DL 4328 The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven 1941–1948 (1963)
Decca DL 4329 The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven 1949–1954 (1963)
Decca DL 4371 Play A Happy Song (1963)
Decca DL 4380 Golden Minstrel Songs for Dancing (1963)
Decca DL 4430 Golden Folk Songs for Dancing (1963)
Decca DL 4516 Italian Songs Everybody Knows (1964)
Decca DXB 185 The Best of Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians (1964)
Decca DL 4567 Snuggled on Your Shoulder (1964)
Decca DL 4593 Golden Medleys (1965)
Decca DL 4735 Dance Medley Time (1966)
Decca DL 4812 Guy Lombardo's Greatest Hits (1967)
Vocalion:
VL 3605 Dance in the Moonlight (1958)
VL 3833 Here's Guy Lombardo (1968)
Capitol:
Capitol W 738 Guy Lombardo in Hi-Fi (1956)
Capitol T 739 Your Guy Lombardo Medley Vol. 1 (1956)
Capitol T 788 A Decade on Broadway 1946–1956 (1956)
Capitol T 892 Lively Guy (1957)
Capitol T 916 A Decade on Broadway 1935–1945 (1958)
Capitol ST 1019 Berlin by Lombardo (1959)
Capitol ST 1121 Dancing Room Only (1959)
Capitol ST 1191 Lombardo Goes Latin (1959)
Capitol ST 1244 Your Guy Lombardo Medley Vol. 2 (1960)
Capitol ST 1306 The Sweetest Waltzes This Side of Heaven (1960)(reissued as SF522)
Capitol ST 1393 Lombardo at Harrah's Club (1960)
Capitol SKAO Sing The Songs of Christmas (1960)
Capitol ST 1453 Bells Are Ringing (1960)
Capitol ST 1461 The Best of Guy Lombardo (1961)
Capitol ST 1593 Drifting and Dreaming (1961)
Capitol ST 1598 Your Guy Lombardo Medley Vol. 3 (1961)
Capitol ST 1648 Guy Lombardo & The Royal Canadians Go Dixie (1962)
Capitol ST 1738 Waltzing with Guy Lombardo (1962)
Capitol 1843 Lombardo with a Beat (1963)
Capitol ST 1947 The Sweetest Medleys This Side of Heaven (1963)
Capitol ST 2052 Lombardo Touch (1964)
Capitol STDL The Lombardo Years (1964)
Capitol T 2298 Guy Lombardo Presents Kenny Gardner (1965)
Capitol T 2350 Guy Lombardo Plays Songs of Carmen Lombardo (1965)
Capitol ST 2481 A Wonderful Year (1966)
Capitol ST 2559 Guy Lombardo's Broadway (1966)
Capitol ST 2639 The Sweetest Sounds Today (1967)
Capitol ST 2777 Lombardo Country (1967)
Capitol ST 2825 Medleys On Parade (1967)
Capitol ST 2889 They're Playing Our Songs (1968)
Capitol SKAO 2940 The Best of Guy Lombardo Vol. 2 (1968)
Capitol ST 128 The New Songs The New Sounds
Capitol SM 340 Recorded Live at The Tropicana
London Records:
London XPS904 Every Night Is New Year's Eve with Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians at The Waldorf Astoria (1973)
Pickwick (Capitol) Budget Compilations / Reissues:
SPC 1011 – Deck the Halls
SPC 3073 – Sweet and Heavenly
SPC 3140 – Taking a Chance On Love
SPC 3193 – Enjoy Yourself
SPC 3257 – Red Roses for a Blue Lady
SPC 3312 – The Impossible Dream
SPC 3358 – Alley Cat
ACL 7057 – Guy Lombardo Plays (1977 reissue of RCA Camden CAL255, 1965)
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 26 | 87.5th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 20 | 87.1th |
| Studio albums | 9 | 90th |
| Awards recorded | 3 | 95.4th |
| Timeline events | 9 | 85.5th |
| Recording span (years) | 9 | 24.5th |
| Genres | 5 | 88.3th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (20 release groups · 9 studio albums)
Albums · 9
1968 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 25:47
A1I'll Be Seeing You2:19A2Where or When2:47A3I Got Plenty of Nuttin'2:45A4Taking a Chance on Love2:24A5People Will Say We're in Love2:40B1Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered2:35B2All the Things You Are2:40B3The Surrey With the Fringe on Top2:11B4I Could Write a Book2:50B5Let's Do It Again2:361977 · studio album
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Tracklist · 10 tracks · 9:28
A1Boo HooA2Ridin' HighA3With A Smile And A SongA4Whistle While You Work (From Walt Disney' "Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs")A5Summertime (From The Opera "Porgy And Bess")2:42B1Bei Mir Bist Du SchönB2The Way You Look TonightB3Oh! Ma-Ma! (The Butcher Boy)3:36B4I See Your Face Before Me3:10B5Maybe1991 · studio album
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Tracklist · 16 tracks · 46:57
1Boo-Hoo3:062Ridin' High3:343With a Smile and a Song2:574Whistle While You Work2:375Bei mir bist du schön2:146A Fine Romance3:167The Way You Look Tonight3:118Maybe2:319Liebestraum3:0110Yours and Mine2:5311When My Dreamboat Comes Home3:1912The Old Apple Tree2:5313It Looks Like Rain in Cherry Blossom Lane2:4014Sweethearts on Parade2:5715There Is No Greater Love3:0616I'll See You in My Dreams2:42The Best of Guy Lombardo: The Early Years
2002 · studio album
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Tracklist · 24 tracks · 1:15:07
1Coquette3:052Where the Shy Little Violets Grow3:193I Get the Blues When It Rains3:304Have a Little Faith in Me (from Spring Is Here)3:125Crying for the Carolines (from Spring Is Here)3:216Under a Texas Moon (from Under a Texas Moon)7Cottage for Sale3:348Singing a Song to the Stars (from Way Out West)3:109Swingin’ in a Hammock3:2710I’m Confessin’ (That I Love You)3:2011I Still Get a Thrill (Thinking of You)3:2012Baby’s Birthday Party3:2313You’re Driving Me Crazy! (What Did I Do?)3:1914By the River Sainte Marie3:2915Whistling in the Dark3:1416Sweet and Lovely3:1617Begging for Love2:5718Now That You’re Gone3:1619Puh‐Leeze! Mister Hemingway!3:0220Street of Dreams3:1121Going – Going – Gone3:1122By a Waterfall3:0723Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?3:2324How Do I Know It’s Sunday (from Harold Teen)3:01— · studio album
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Tracklist · 20 tracks · 57:28
1The Band Played On2:342Intermezzo (Souvenir de Vienne)3:133It's Love-Love-Love2:314Humoresque2:305Bell-Bottom Trousers2:326Seems Like Old Times2:597Shoo-Fly and Apple Pie Dowdy2:468Managua, Nicaragua3:089Anniversary Song3:1810I'm My Own Grandpa3:0111Red Roses for a Blue Lady2:4812Hop Scotch Polka (Scotch Hot)2:5513Dangerous Dan McGrew3:1214Farewell Amanda2:4515The Third Man Theme2:5916Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think)3:2017Auld Lang Syne2:3318The Petite Waltz3:0519Harbour Lights3:0020Get Out Those Old Records2:19The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven
— · studio album
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Tracklist · 25 tracks · 1:16:28
1You're Driving Me Crazy (What Did I Do?)3:212Swingin' in a Hammock3:313Coquette3:054Where the Shy Little Violets Grow3:325I'm Confessin' That I Love You3:176Goofus2:387Vilia2:548You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me2:539Young and Healthy3:1310Stormy Weather3:2511Morning, Noon and Night3:0812Don't Blame Me3:1813Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?3:2214I Raised My Hat3:1015Restless3:0516I Won't Dance3:2517Lovely to Look At2:4318There's a Little Picture Playhouse in My Heart2:3119Boo Hoo3:0720Ti-Pi-Tin2:4721Faithful Forever3:0122All the Things You Are (feat. Mert Curtis)3:1623Run, Little Raindrop, Run2:3024Idaho (feat. Marie Lombardo)2:4525Auld Lang Syne2:31Guy Lombardo & The Mills Brothers Christmas
— · studio album
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Tracklist · 12 tracks · 26:36
1Jingle Bells2:112Santa Claus Is Coming to Town1:553Winter Wonderland2:424White Christmas3:005Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer2:206Frosty the Snowman2:347Here Comes Santa Claus1:528Silent Night2:119God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen1:3810O Little Town of Bethlehem2:1511O Holy Night1:4512Adeste Fideles2:13— · studio album
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Tracklist · 14 tracks · 37:02
1Jingle Bells2:112When You Wish Upon a Star2:453Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think)3:204White Christmas2:015The Anniversary Song3:206The Merry Christmas Waltz2:497Winter Wonderland3:038Jean2:409Christmas Island2:3610Three O'Clock in the Morning2:4211Christmas Tales From the Vienna Woods2:2112Auld Lang Syne2:3013Good Night Sweetheart3:1414Auld Lang Syne (reprise)1:30— · studio album
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Tracklist · 18 tracks · 56:07
1Boo Hoo3:072Annie Doesn't Live Here Anymore3:133Young and Healthy3:124We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye3:135Inka Dinka Doo2:576River Stay 'Way From My Door3:167Something in the Air3:268(There Ought to Be A) Moonlight Saving Time3:259The Spell of the Blues2:4510St. Louis Blues4:0611Cheek to Cheek3:1612It Ain't Necessarily So3:1613Sweethearts on Parade2:5514Bei mir bist Du schön2:1515Ti-Pi-Tin2:4616The Love Bug Will Bite You3:2317I Want to Be in Winchell's Column3:0518Auld Lang Syne2:31
Album · 10
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Deck the HallsSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 12 tracks · 23:10A1It Came Upon a Midnight Clear2:13 A2Hark the Herald Angels Sing1:42 A3O Little Town of Bethlehem1:28 A4The First Noel2:13 A5Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful)2:23 A6Joy to the World1:25 B1Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer2:34 B2Deck the Halls1:14 B3Jingle Bells1:35 B4Silent Night3:40 B5We Wish You a Merry Christmas0:38 B6Auld Lang Syne2:05 | Compilation | 1974 | |
| 1977 | 50th Anniversary AlbumSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 20 tracksA1Boo Hoo A2Humoresque A3Easter Parade A4Cheek to Cheek A5Best Things in Life Are Free A6Heart of My Heart A7I Want a Girl A8Vienna Woods A9Good Night Sweetheart A10When I Grow Too Old to Dream B1The Band Played On B2Harbor Lights B3Chattanooga Choo Choo B4Blue Skirt Waltz B5Wedding Bells Are Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine B6Vaya Con Dios B7Third Man Theme B8Peg o' My Heart B9Bye Bye Baby B10Medley: Moonlight & Roses / Far Away Places / Auld Lang Syne | Compilation | 1977 | |
| 1989 | 16 Most Requested SongsSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 16 tracks · 49:221Stormy Weather (Keeps Rainin’ All the Time)3:14 2You’re Getting to Be a Habit With Me (78rpm version)2:49 3Vilia (album version)2:43 4Lawd! You Made the Night Too Long (album version)3:19 5Shanghai Lil (album version)3:08 6I’ll Never Be the Same (album version)3:09 7Lover (album version)3:01 8You’re Beautiful Tonight, My Dear (album version)3:23 9How Deep Is the Ocean (How High Is the Sky) (album version)3:11 10Too Many Tears (album version)3:19 11Goofus (album version)2:27 12Young and Healthy (album version)3:07 13I’m Playing With Fire (album version)3:08 14My Old Flame (album version)3:04 15We Just Couldn’t Say Goodbye (78 Rpm version)3:08 16The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven (album version)3:12 | Compilation | 13 June 1989 | |
| 1996 | 50 Years! 50 Hits!Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 16 tracks · 49:441My Happiness / The Object of My Affection / Deep Purple3:15 2If I Had My Way / Little Dutch Mill / My Blue Heaven / Tenderley2:49 3Chapel in the Moonlight / Secret Love / My One & Only Heart2:59 4Red Sails in the Sunset / Isle of Capri / Some Enchanted Evening3:17 5Blue Moon / That Old Devil Moon / September Song4:16 6Because of You / Stardust / Little Things Mean a Lot2:49 7Missouri Waltz / Carolina Moon / Beautiful Ohio2:44 8When My Sugar Walks Down the Street / Ain't She Sweet / Dancing in the Dark2:51 9It's June in January / White Christmas / April Showers3:11 10Time on My Hands / Near You / Sioux City Sue2:31 11Now Is the Hour / You Belong to Me / When You're Smiling4:01 12Your Cheating Heart / Sweet Georgia Brown / Seems Like Old Times / Enjoy Yourself2:33 13Alexander's Ragtime Band / On the Sunny Side of the Street / Buttons and Bows3:03 14I'll See You in My Dreams / When My Dreamboat Comes Home / Young & Foolish3:24 15Three O'Clock in the Morning / Cruising Down the River / The Girl That I Marry2:51 16Blue Tango / That Old Gang of Mine / I'll Be Seeing You3:10 | Compilation | 1996 | |
| 1996 | Enjoy Yourself: The Hits of Guy LombardoSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 17 tracks · 48:201Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think)3:20 2It's Love-Love-Love2:29 3Red Sails in the Sunset3:14 4Stars Fell on Alabama3:09 5The Band Played On2:31 6Penny Serenade2:56 7What's the Reason (I'm Not Pleasin' You)3:05 8Anniversary Song3:20 9Harbor Lights3:00 10Bell Bottom Trousers2:33 11Managua, Nicaragua3:08 12Seems Like Old Times2:58 13Dearie3:18 14Red Roses for a Blue Lady2:47 15The Third Man Theme2:57 16Auld Lang Syne2:33 17Guy Lombardo Wishes You a Very Happy New Year!1:02 | Compilation | 1996 | |
| 2004 | Essential GoldSearch SpotifySearch YouTube Music | Compilation | 22 June 2004 | |
| 2007 | Into the FiftiesSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 50 tracks · 2:16:571Because of you2:27 2Young at heart2:47 3The Gypsy3:08 4Harbor lights3:01 5Red roses far a blue lady2:47 6Dearie3:18 7All my love2:36 8Oh baby mine I get so lonely2:39 9I wonder I wonder I wonder2:36 10Always2:33 11Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart2:59 12Tennessee Waltz2:40 13Blue Tango3:10 14Sing to me guitar2:48 15Come with me my honey2:52 16Honest and Truly2:59 17La Vie En Rose2:29 18The Coconut Song2:33 19When the saints go marching in2:55 20Let's have a Tiddley at the milk bar2:47 21Hot time in the old town tonight2:18 22Hey mister Banjo2:09 23Marty2:29 24our melody2:31 25You couldn't help but be wonderful2:19 1Let's have a party2:39 2The little train that could2:55 3Let's do it again2:38 4Nola2:50 5Out o' breath2:39 6Undecided3:05 7The lie-de-lie song2:50 8Green sleeves2:46 9Snowflakes2:18 10Noodlin' rag2:27 11Bundle of southern sunshine2:51 12I went to your wedding3:08 13Somewhere along the way2:48 14Seven lonely days2:42 15Downhearted2:50 16I'm in love2:52 17Blue willows2:58 18Just another polka2:52 19Spinning a web2:51 20Half a photograph3:08 21Don't you care2:48 22Blue dancing shoes2:34 23There's always someone you can't forget2:46 24Hernando's hideaway2:49 25Vas villst du haben?2:03 | Compilation | 2007 | |
| — | Your Guy Lombardo Medley: Volume 2Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracksA1Stardust / Red Roses for a Blue Lady / I Can't Give You Anything But Love / Sweet Lorraine / I Surrender Dear / Stars Fell on Alabama / Moonglow / Home / I Can't Believe That You're In Love with Me / Take Me in Your Arms / All My Love / Stormy Weather / Girl of my Dreams / Blue Tango / Who's Sorry Now? / Hands Across the Table / Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea / That's My Desire / It Must be True / Does Your Heart Beat for Me? B1I Can't Begin to Tell you / Love Me or Leave Me / Fools Rush In / Near You / The Four Winds and the Seven Seas / Little White Lies / A Little Bit Independent / Yours with Love and Kisses / Scatter-brain / You've Driving me Crazy / Maybe You'll Be There / Moon Over Brooklyn / The Moon Was Yellow / It's a Sin to Tell a Lie / Velvet Lips / The Heart of Mine / You'll Never Know / When a Gypsy Makes His Violin Cry / I Had the Craziest Dream / Everywhere You Go | Compilation | — | |
| — | Waltz FavoritesSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 24 tracks · 1:02:061Carolina Moon2:12 2Till We Meet Again2:06 3Charmaine2:21 4Girl of My Dreams3:21 5When I Grow Too Old to Dream2:28 6The Blue Skirt Waltz2:41 7Tennessee Waltz2:22 8Alice Blue Gown2:44 9Tenderly2:16 10Fascination2:12 11In Apple Blossom Time3:02 12Now Is the Hour2:35 13Tales From the Vienna Woods2:23 14Harbor Lights3:03 15Let the Rest of the World Go By2:12 16By the Light of the Silvery Moon2:34 17Merry Go Round Waltz2:53 18Easter Parade2:48 19Three O'Clock in the Morning2:43 20Missouri Waltz2:13 21Beautiful Ohio2:46 22After the Ball2:43 23Always2:35 24Goodnight Sweetheart2:53 | Compilation | — | |
| — | Your Guy Lombardo Medley: Volume 3Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 3 tracksA1Fox Trot Medley: South of the Border / Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams / The White Cliffs of Dover / Sweet Sue - Just You / The Old Lamp-Lighter / Lies / Last Night on the Back Porch (I Loved Her Best of All) / Somebody Else is Taking My Place / Rose of Washington Square / River, Stay 'way from My Door / Memories of You / The Glory of Love / Penny Serenade / 'way Down Yonder in New Orleans / Let There Be Love / A Tree in the Meadow / On the Sunny Side of the Street / The Last Round-Up / The Old Spinning Wheel / Lights Out B1Waltz Medley: Anniversary Song / Let Me Call You Sweetheart / Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland / I'll Always Be in Love with You / Melody of Love / Beautiful Ohio / You're The Only Star (In My Blue Heaven) / Sweetheart of All My Dreams / The One Rose (That's Left in My Heart) / If B2Fox Trot Medley: Red Sails in the Sunset / Exactly Like You / Wagon Wheels / Side by Side / My Prayer / Shine / Have You Ever Been Lonely? / In the Chapel in the Moonlight / A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square / In the Blue of the Evening | Compilation | — |
Single · 1
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Bei mir bist du schön / It's Easier Said Than DoneSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracks1Para mi eres divina (Bei mir bist du schön) 2Es más facil decir que hacer (It's Easier Said Than Done) | — |
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put Guy Lombardo head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 26 | 87.5th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 20 | 87.1th |
| Studio albums | 9 | 90th |
| Awards recorded | 3 | 95.4th |
| Timeline events | 9 | 85.5th |
| Recording span (years) | 9 | 24.5th |
| Genres | 5 | 88.3th |
Awards & honours
| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Canadian Music Hall of Fame | lifetime | |
| 2002 | Canada's Walk of Fame | won | |
| — | star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | won |
Line-up
| Name | From | To | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians(band) | — | present |
Where this record comes from
portrait—Wikimedia Commons · Public domain · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Guy_Lombardo_1944.jpgaliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/fc3e92a7-df32-48f1-9ef4-e0fda9d8c83fdiscography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/fc3e92a7-df32-48f1-9ef4-e0fda9d8c83fcore—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q467087genre—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q467087seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Lombardobiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Lombardo
Why this artist is in the database
- List of Canadian musicians
Tier rule: notable long tail (listeners 0, 26 language versions)
Image: Music Corporation of America-photo by Maurice Seymour , Chicago. · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Wikidata: Q467087 · MusicBrainz: fc3e92a7-df32-48f1-9ef4-e0fda9d8c83f
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