Hal Derwin

Hal Derwin or Hal Derwyn (July 14, 1914 – February 9, 1998) was an American dance bandleader, principally active in the 1940s.

Early in his career, Derwin was a member of a vocal trio with Lee Gillette (later a talent scout for Capitol Records). In the 1930s he worked with musicians such as Boyd Raeburn, Louis Panico, Shep Fields, and Les Brown, and formed his own band in Chicago in 1940 that included Freddy Large (of Jan Garber's band) as a sideman. He toured the Midwest for much of the 1940s, and had several 10-inch singles released on Capitol Records after World War II, including the hit song "The Old Lamp-Lighter", which reached number six on the Billboard chart. In the early 1950s his band took up a residency at the Biltmore Bowl in Los Angeles for six years and was broadcast on NBC Radio. Derwin continued to record and perform on the side, including with Artie Shaw and in a duet with Martha Tilton. Later in his career he worked in artist and repertory for Capitol.

Birth and Death Data: Born July 14, 1914, Died February 9, 1998 (San Diego)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1938 - 1950

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, vocalist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-022476 10-in. 4/20/1938 That feeling is gone Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BS-022477 10-in. 4/20/1938 Good evenin', good lookin' Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BS-022974 10-in. 5/2/1938 Havin' myself a time Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BS-022975 10-in. 5/2/1938 Fare thee well, Annie Laurie Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BS-022976 10-in. 5/2/1938 This time it's real Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BS-023251 10-in. 5/19/1938 Any little girl, that's a nice little girl Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BS-023252 10-in. 5/19/1938 Where in the world Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BS-023254 10-in. 5/19/1938 Don't let that moon get away Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Phyllis Kenny ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female-male vocal duet vocalist  
Victor BS-025300 10-in. 8/12/1938 The cowboy and the lady Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-025301 10-in. 8/12/1938 What have you got that gets me Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-025302 10-in. 8/12/1938 Teacher's pet Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal duet vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-025303 10-in. 8/12/1938 You're lovely madame Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-025304 10-in. 8/12/1938 That's a plenty Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-025305 10-in. 8/12/1938 A blues serenade Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-025306 10-in. 8/12/1938 Curly headed baby Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-025307 10-in. 8/12/1938 Short'nin' bread Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor PBS-026251 10-in. 11/14/1938 It serves you right Shep Fields ; Annabelle Graham ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor PBS-026252 10-in. 11/14/1938 I go for that Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist  
Victor PBS-026253 10-in. 11/14/1938 Everybody's laughing Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor PBS-026254 10-in. 11/14/1938 Kind'a lonesome Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist  
Victor PBS-026255 10-in. 11/14/1938 An old curiosity shop Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist  
Victor PBS-026256 10-in. 11/14/1938 I must see Annie tonight Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra ; Three Ripples Jazz/dance band, with vocal trio instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-034687 10-in. 5/22/1939 My heart has wings Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-034688 10-in. 5/22/1939 Hot pretzels Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-034689 10-in. 5/22/1939 A home in the clouds Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-034690 10-in. 5/22/1939 Stand by for further announcements Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-034691 10-in. 5/22/1939 I dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-034692 10-in. 5/22/1939 Buffoon Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-041151 10-in. 8/1/1939 Are you having any fun? Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist  
Victor BS-041152 10-in. 8/1/1939 Goodnight my beautiful Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra ; Jerry Stewart Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-041153 10-in. 8/1/1939 South of the border (Down Mexico way) Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-041154 10-in. 8/1/1939 It's all over town (We're thru) Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra ; Jerry Stewart Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-041761 10-in. 10/13/1939 Happy birthday to love Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal trio instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-041762 10-in. 10/13/1939 The answer is love Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-041763 10-in. 10/13/1939 I'll wait Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra ; Jerry Stewart Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-041764 10-in. 10/13/1939 Secret Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-041765 10-in. 10/13/1939 Mene mene tekel Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal ensemble vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-041915 10-in. 8/24/1939 I surrender, dear Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist  
Victor BS-041916 10-in. 8/24/1939 Boy Scout in Switzerland Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-041917 10-in. 8/24/1939 If I knew then (What I know now) Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra ; Jerry Stewart Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-041918 10-in. 8/24/1939 Sleepy moon Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-046195 10-in. 1/10/1940 Would'st could I but kiss thy hand, oh babe Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-046196 10-in. 1/10/1940 The hot gavotte (rum-tum-tiddle-iddle-um-dee-ay) Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-046197 10-in. 1/10/1940 Burn, firewood, burn Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-046198 10-in. 1/10/1940 If I could be the dummy on your knee Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor BS-048492 10-in. 4/1/1940 Cecilia Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BS-048493 10-in. 4/1/1940 Day dreams come true at night Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BS-048494 10-in. 4/1/1940 A vous tout de vey, a vous? Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor PBS-049837 10-in. 6/3/1940 Cottonwood corners Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar, vocalist  
Victor PBS-049838 10-in. 6/3/1940 Who's Yehudi? Dorothy Allen ; Hal Derwin ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with mixed vocal trio vocalist, instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor PBS-049839 10-in. 6/3/1940 Tennessee fish fry Dorothy Allen ; Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor PBS-049840 10-in. 6/3/1940 Gavotte in G Shep Fields ; Rippling Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, guitar  
Victor E0VB-3649 10-in. 5/19/1950 Little Liza Lou Spade Cooley ; Hal Derwin ; Spade Cooley Orchestra Male vocal solo, with vocal quartet and instrumental ensemble vocalist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Derwin, Hal," accessed November 2, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/104521.

Derwin, Hal. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 2, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/104521.

"Derwin, Hal." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/104521

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