Make Believe Ballroom

On this week's show: A vocalist who thought a hit would be a flop. Another female vocalist whose forgotten words created a classic. Yet another female vocalist who might have gone back in time.  All this and many more big band jazz recordings on the Make Believe Ballroom this week.

On this week's show: bandleader feuds, a new Louis Armstrong release, and a retired bandleader becomes a government agent. Plus more big-band jazz recordings on the Make Believe Ballroom this week.

On this week's show: Three guys named Chick, Count Basie's favorite time of the day, Abbott and Costello music hits, a record with a historic title.  All this and much more on today's edition of the program.

On this week's show: songs about a high-octane drink, an article about Glenn Miller in Hollywood, a Dutch Bandleader, and how many bass players you can fit on a street corner.  All this and much more on today's edition of the program.

On this week's show: an email from Austria, a rare Benny Goodman recording, the Andrews Sisters go Hillbilly, and more records and reminiscences from the big band and jazz era.

On this week's show: Jam, Jelly, Marmalade, singing groups with longevity, music from a Glenn Miller film, and more records and reminiscences from the big band and jazz era.  

On this week's show: Fats Waller meets Public Enemy Number One, a song honoring one of the era's greatest blues singers, the singer Benny Hill got his inspiration from, and more records and reminiscences from the big band and jazz era.  

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, hosted by Jeff Bressler, Glenn Miller's greatest trombone solo, trombones of Teagarden and Dorsey, train songs, a short-lived Charlie Barnet vocalist, and more records and reminiscences from the big band and jazz era.

On this week's show: Two hits of the same song recorded 30 years apart, the battle for the title of "First Lady of Radio," British Bandleaders, two great drummers, and much more on this week's program.

On this week’s show: A look at “Hard Luck” Amy, a vocalist whose mishaps paid off in the end —did old fogeys listen to swing music? Plus many more great songs and tales to cherish and enjoy on the program.

On this week’s show: why Kansas City was a jazz hub, a song that brings a memory back to Jeff Bressler—this and many more great songs and tales to cherish and enjoy on the program.

On this week’s show: the "Mayor of Harlem," a song about a profession that helped bring black Americans into the middle class, and three crooners who caused swooning—this and many more great songs and tales to cherish and enjoy on the program.

On this week’s show: a sneaky marketing ploy involving a popular songstress, a great Bing Crosby story —this and many more great songs and tales to cherish and enjoy on the program.

On the air since 1935 and the nation's third-oldest broadcast music radio program, the show features treasured 78rpm recordings, fascinating stories of legendary bandleaders, musicians, composers, and vocalists, listener requests, and special segments that bring the era’s music and history vividly to life.

On this week’s show: a few Johnny Mercer tunes, a bandleader who didn't know who the real star was, some swinging polkas—this and many more great songs and stories to cherish and enjoy on the program.

On this week’s show: Songs about BBQ and potato salad, some VDISC selections, a popular pianist and songstress lost in time —this and many more great songs and stories to cherish and enjoy on the program.

On this week’s show: a historic “jass” record, Benny Goodman’s first job, an on-air mistake corrected, emails from listeners—this and many more great songs and stories to cherish and enjoy on the program.

This week's Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s—on this week’s show: Artie Shaw’s theme song and how it was written, groups of singing sisters, emails from listeners —this and many more great songs and stories to cherish and enjoy on the program.

This week's Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s - a game show host's famous uncle, a longtime listener's special playlist, a gambling song, Lenny from Down the Block with his Record Pick of the Week—this and many more great songs and stories to cherish and enjoy on the program.

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, hosted by Jeff Bressler, a listener's request for more information on a lesser-known bandleader's autograph, a famous female bandleader's hidden secret, some radio remotes, and more records and reminiscences from the big band and jazz era.

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, hosted by Jeff Bressler, some songs never before played on the show, an eerie premonition relayed by a big band songstress, a female songwriting team in the 30s, and more records and reminiscences from the big band and jazz era.

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, hosted by Jeff Bressler, a listen to some both A and B sides of records, who was Todd Rollins, a historic black female composer, and more records and reminiscences from the big band and jazz era.

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom hosted by Jeff Bressler, a look at a world record-breaking Bing Crosby Hawaiian tune, two Artie Shaw classic radio remotes, two interesting Benny Goodman tunes, and more records and reminiscences from the big band and jazz era.

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom hosted by Jeff Bressler, a song about a woman in the military, listeners' emails about Louis Jordan and Bill Finnigan, the A and B side of a great Ray Noble 78rpm, and more records and reminiscences from the big band and jazz era.

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom hosted by Jeff Bressler, Count Basie’s ode to the draft, two first-time-ever-recorded hits for Fats Waller, the mother of boogie woogie, and more records and reminiscences from the big band and jazz era.

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom hosted by Jeff Bressler, Artie Shaw as a radio second banana, a post Glenn Miller Army small group in Paris, late 40s Metronome All-Stars, and more records and reminiscences from the big band and jazz era.

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, hosted by Jeff Bressler, Glenn Miller's greatest trombone solo, trombones of Teagarden and Dorsey, train songs, a short-lived Charlie Barnet vocalist, and more records and reminiscences from the big band and jazz era.

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, hosted by Jeff Bressler, a historic reunion between Duke and Satchmo, the history behind some song names, a little Texas Swing 40s-style, and more records and reminiscences from the big band and jazz era.

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, hosted by Jeff Bressler, a salute to a female blues vocalist, little remembered, a rare Artie Shaw record, 15-year-old Judy Garland, how a song got an unusual name, plus many more records, stories, and reminiscences from the big band era.    

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, hosted by Jeff Bressler, Sarah Vaughn’s start; Count Basie reached the masses from a tiny club; the first band Benny Goodman led; listeners, emails, plus many more records, stories, and reminiscences from the big band era.

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, hosted by Jeff Bressler, Hawaiian swing, a bandleader with no biography, plus many more records, stories, and reminiscences from the big band era.

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, hosted by Jeff Bressler, some "royalty" of jazz, the original King of Swing, a forgotten record label, plus many more records, stories, and reminiscences from the big band era.

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, hosted by Jeff Bressler, a British bandleader comes to the US and makes history, a female vocalist who had two number 1 hits in a span of a month, plus many more records, stories, and reminiscences from the big band era.

The Make Believe Ballroom, hosted by Jeff Bressler, brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s.  
 
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, hosted by Jeff Bressler, a little-remembered big band singer, the use of the organ in 1930s and '40s jazz, Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman play Klezmer, many more records, stories, and reminiscences from the big band era. 

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, hosted by Jeff Bressler, a bandleader in the Guinness Book of Records, a TV dad who started his career in music, battling brothers, and more records and reminiscences from the golden age of the American songbook.

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, hosted by Jeff Bressler, a look at a musical couple married for over 50 years, a famous brother from a comedy team who raised the baton on his own band, a musician and arranger talked out of law school, and more records and reminiscences from the golden age of the American songbook.

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, hosted by Jeff Bressler, a macabre big band passing, a listener's letter about Ray Anthony, a forgotten drummer, and more records and reminiscences from the golden age of the American songbook.

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, hosted by Jeff Bressler, a look at a bygone record company, movies from the silver screen, how a Bing Crosby financial investment changed audio recording, and more records and reminiscences from the golden age of the American songbook.

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom hosted by Jeff Bressler, a look at how smaller radio markets got their musical programming, two somewhat forgotten big band era stars, two infamous musicians with checkered pasts, and also more records and reminiscences from the golden age of the American songbook.

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom hosted by Jeff Bressler, a look at a famous jazz club and eatery on an iconic street in New York City, music and discussion about 1930s and 40s small group jazz, and also more records and reminiscences from the golden age of the American songbook.

On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom - the greatest public relations stunt in big band history, a story of the early days of the Ballroom hosted by Martin Block, some well-known arrangers, in addition to many more songs and reminisces.