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 301-325 of 607 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
OKeh W490037 10-in. 2/6/1930 Lucky little devil Little Molers ; Miff Mole Jazz/dance band vocalist  
Brunswick E7260 10-in. 4/5/1928 Just one word of consolation Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist  
Brunswick E7261 10-in. 4/5/1928 Just forget Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist  
Brunswick E7324 10-in. 4/23/1928 Laugh, clown, laugh Miami Marimba Band Marimba band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E7325 10-in. 4/23/1928 Auf Wiederseh’n Miami Marimba Band Marimba band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E7328 10-in. 4/28/1928 Should I be sorry? Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist  
Brunswick E7329 10-in. 4/28/1928 You’d rather forget than forgive Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist  
Brunswick E7370 10-in. 6/13/1928 Just like a melody out of the sky Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist  
Brunswick E7371 10-in. 6/13/1928 I tore up your picture when you said goodbye (But I put it together again) Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist  
Brunswick E27422 10-in. 4/25/1928 Ready for the river Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist  
Brunswick E27423 10-in. 4/25/1928 My angel Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist  
Brunswick E27591 10-in. 5/26/1928 Song of the islands Colonial Club Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E27619 10-in. 5/31/1928 Just like a melody out of the sky Ben Bernie ; Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick XE27621 12-in. 5/31/1928 Dear old Southland Five Pennies ; Scrappy Lambert ; Red Nichols Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick XE27622 12-in. 5/31/1928 Limehouse blues Five Pennies ; Scrappy Lambert ; Red Nichols Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E27682 10-in. 6/11/1928 Poor people Detroiters ; Milt Shaw Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E27908 10-in. 7/28/1928 When Polly walks through the hollyhocks Ben Bernie ; Billy Hillpot ; Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E28092 10-in. 8/15/1928 Moonlight madness (Then you were gone) Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist  
Brunswick E28093 10-in. 8/15/1928 Revenge Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist  
Brunswick E28199 10-in. 9/11/1928 My Ohio home Wabash Dance Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Brunswick E28200 10-in. 9/11/1928 My pet Wabash Dance Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Brunswick E28223 10-in. 9/14/1928 Roses of yesterday Ben Bernie ; Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E28224 10-in. 9/14/1928 Sonny boy Ben Bernie ; Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist  
Brunswick E28248 10-in. 9/17/1928 Moonlight madness (Then you were gone) Harold Lambert Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist  
Brunswick E28317 10-in. 9/27/1928 Grieving Scrappy Lambert Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist  
(Results 301-325 of 607 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Lambert, Scrappy," accessed November 9, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/109632.

Lambert, Scrappy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 9, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/109632.

"Lambert, Scrappy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/109632

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