George Tunnell

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George Tunnell, c. 1945

George "Bon Bon" Tunnell (June 29, 1912[1] – May 20, 1975)[2] was an American jazz vocalist.

Born in Reading, Pennsylvania, United States,[3] he was one of the first African American vocalists to perform with a white band, that of Jan Savitt and his band,[4] The Top Hatters. In the early 1930s, Tunnell fronted a vocal quartet, the Three Keys.[5] They had a hit with "Fit as a Fiddle".[5] Tunnell then joined Jan Savitt's Band and recorded a number of tracks with them including "Moonlight Masquerade", "The Gypsy in My Soul", "A Kiss for Consolation", plus their two best selling numbers, "Hi-Yo Silver" and "Make Believe Island".[5] Tunnell left Savitt in 1941 and recorded solo tracks including "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire", "Blow, Gabriel Blow" and "Most Emphatically, Yes!"[5] He joined Spirits of Rhythm jazz ensemble briefly before, in the 1950s, spending some time fronting the Tommy Reynolds Band.[5] After that time, Tunnell's career ground to a halt and he returned to live in Pennsylvania.[2]

He died in May 1975, in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, at the age of 62.[3]

References[]

  1. ^ "Bon Bon". Secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "George "Bon Bon" Tunnell | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Zirpolo, Mike (15 February 2020). ""Vol Vistu Gaily Star" (1939) Jan Savitt with George "Bon Bon" Tunnell". Swingandbeyond.com. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  4. ^ "Pop Chronicles 1940s Program #3". Digital.library.unt.edu. 1972.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 289. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.

Bibliography[]

  • Jazz Records 1897-1942 4th Revised and Enlarged Edition, by Brian Rust, Arlington House Publishers, New Rochelle, New York, 1978, ISBN 9780902391048

External links[]


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