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 351-375 of 607 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brunswick | E29348 | 10-in. | Feb. 1929 | Coquette | Ben Bernie ; Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29349 | 10-in. | Feb. 1929 | Till we meet | Ben Bernie ; Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29466 | 10-in. | 3/31/1929 | A happy ending | The Eight Radio Stars ; Scrappy Lambert | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29467 | 10-in. | 3/31/1929 | Always in my heart | The Eight Radio Stars ; Scrappy Lambert | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and whistling; without vocal (take G) | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29473 | 10-in. | 3/15/1929 | The one that I love loves me | Scrappy Lambert ; Meyer Davis’ Swanee Syncopators | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29483 | 10-in. | Mar. 1929 | Dream mother | Bob Haring Orchestra ; Scrappy Lambert | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29492 | 10-in. | Mar. 1929 | I never guessed | Copley Plaza Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29507 | 10-in. | 3/20/1929 | (Step by step—mile by mile) I’m marching home to you | The Captivators ; Scrappy Lambert ; Red Nichols | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29508 | 10-in. | 3/20/1929 | Building a nest for Mary | The Captivators ; Scrappy Lambert ; Red Nichols | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29509 | 10-in. | 3/20/1929 | I used to love her in the moonlight (But she’s in the limelight now) | The Captivators ; Scrappy Lambert ; Red Nichols | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29523½ | 10-in. | 3/27/1929 | Rampart Street blues | Cotton Pickers | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet; without vocal (take G) | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29524 | 10-in. | 3/27/1929 | St. Louis gal | Cotton Pickers | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet; without vocal (take G) | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29525 | 10-in. | 3/27/1929 | Kansas City Kitty | Cotton Pickers | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29556 | 10-in. | March 1929 | I kiss your hand, Madame | Ben Bernie ; Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra ; Scrappy Lambert | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29557 | 10-in. | Mar. 1929 | I’ve got a feeling I’m falling | Ben Bernie ; Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra ; Scrappy Lambert | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29561 | 10-in. | Mar. 1929 | Lady of the morning | Copley Plaza Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29568 | 10-in. | 3/31/1929 | Under the stars of Havana | The Eight Radio Stars ; Scrappy Lambert | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and whistling; without vocal (take G) | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29581 | 10-in. | 4/5/1929 | Kansas City Kitty | The Original Memphis Five | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29582 | 10-in. | Apr. 1929 | My kinda love | Scrappy Lambert | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29583 | 10-in. | Apr. 1929 | Coquette | Scrappy Lambert | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29591 | 10-in. | Apr. 1929 | I’ve got a feeling I’m falling | Scrappy Lambert | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29592 | 10-in. | Apr. 1929 | Mean to me | Scrappy Lambert | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29593 | 10-in. | Apr. 1929 | My sin | Scrappy Lambert | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29598 | 10-in. | April 1929 | Love me or leave me | Colonial Club Orchestra ; Scrappy Lambert | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | vocalist | |
Brunswick | E29599 | 10-in. | Apr. 1929 | Breakaway | Arnold Johnson Orchestra ; Scrappy Lambert | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | vocalist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Lambert, Scrappy," accessed November 25, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/109632.
Lambert, Scrappy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 25, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/109632.
"Lambert, Scrappy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Harold "Scrappy" Lambert
Discogs: Scrappy Lambert
Allmusic: Scrappy Lambert
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Lambert, Scrappy, 1901-1987 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no93019432
Wikidata: Harold "Scrappy" Lambert - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q7438797
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/233232258
MusicBrainz: Harold "Scrappy" Lambert - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/7e7570f0-f2f9-4713-b606-912473d4c2a8
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