Gray Gordon

Gray Gordon, born Jerome Rohkar (May 4, 1904, Freeport, Illinois – July 18, 1976, New York City) was an American saxophonist and big band leader active in the 1930s and 1940s.

Gordon first led a band called the Pretzel Five when he was still in high school. He moved to Chicago in the mid-1920s, where he played with the Seattle Harmony Kings and Elmo Mack's Purple Derby Orchestra. He led a band which played the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago. In 1936 he relocated to New York City, where he founded his first professional band, taking the stage name Gray Gordon during a touring engagement at the Hotel Chase in St. Louis.

Gordon called his band the Tic Toc Rhythm, based on the distinct clock-like rhythmic figure played on temple blocks by his percussionist Frank Adams. This was often accompanied by a trombone figuration prior to the beginning of songs, which helped identify the band to listeners during radio performances. For several years from 1939, he held a six-month engagement at the Hotel Edison in New York, whose performances were broadcast nightly on radio, and toured the other half of the year. His group started as a smaller ensemble – three brass instruments, three saxophones, and three rhythm instruments – but in 1940 he expanded it to twelve musicians or more, plus vocalists. He recorded several times for Bluebird and Victor during the period 1940–41; he also recorded four sound films in 1941 playing swing jazz. One of his signature songs, "I Am an American", was a popular tune at war bond rallies during World War II. He married dancer Noel Carter in 1941; they divorced in 1949.

Gordon dissolved his band in 1945 and later worked in artist and repertory in the music business, including for Les Paul, Mary Ford, and King Guion. He also worked in public relations for hotels in Miami. He was living in New York City in 1976 when he died of cancer at St. Luke's Hospital. He is buried at Oakland Cemetery in his home town of Freeport.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 4, 1904 (Freeport), Died July 18, 1976 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1938 - 1941

Roles Represented in DAHR: director, songwriter, vocalist, composer, arranger

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

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 105 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-031566 10-in. 1/27/1939 The moon is a silver dollar Gray Gordon ; Cliff Grass ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-031567 10-in. 1/27/1939 Tell me and I'll tell a million Gray Gordon ; Cliff Grass ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-031568 10-in. 1/27/1939 Blue Italian waters Gray Gordon ; Cliff Grass ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-031569 10-in. 1/27/1939 We've come a long way together Gray Gordon ; Cliff Grass ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-031570 10-in. 1/27/1939 It's all so new to me Gray Gordon ; Cliff Grass ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-032924 10-in. 3/8/1939 You're so desirable Gray Gordon ; Cliff Grass ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-032925 10-in. 3/8/1939 Chopsticks Gray Gordon ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band director  
Victor BS-032926 10-in. 3/8/1939 Sing a song of sunbeams Gray Gordon ; Cliff Grass ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-032927 10-in. 3/8/1939 It's never too late to love Betty Bradley ; Gray Gordon ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
Victor BS-032928 10-in. 3/8/1939 I can't get you out of my mind Gray Gordon ; Cliff Grass ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-032929 10-in. 3/8/1939 Hang your heart on a hickory limb Cliff Grass ; Leonard W. Joy ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-035739 10-in. 4/13/1939 Beer barrel polka (Roll out the barrel) Gray Gordon ; Cliff Grass ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-035740 10-in. 4/13/1939 A lady needs a change Betty Bradley ; Gray Gordon ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-035741 10-in. 4/13/1939 But it didn't mean a thing Gray Gordon ; Cliff Grass ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-035742 10-in. 4/13/1939 I'm in love with the Honorable Mr. So and So Betty Bradley ; Gray Gordon ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
Victor BS-035743 10-in. 4/13/1939 If I didn't care Gray Gordon ; Cliff Grass ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-035744 10-in. 4/13/1939 Why don't you try your love on me Betty Bradley ; Gray Gordon ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter, director  
Victor BS-037194 10-in. 6/6/1939 Especially for you Gray Gordon ; Cliff Grass ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-037195 10-in. 6/6/1939 The song of the metronome Gray Gordon ; Cliff Grass ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-037196 10-in. 6/6/1939 It seems like old times Gray Gordon ; Cliff Grass ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-037197 10-in. 6/6/1939 Rumpel-Stilts-Skin Gordon Goons ; Gray Gordon ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal chorus director  
Victor BS-037198 10-in. 6/6/1939 Start the day right Gordon Goons ; Gray Gordon ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal chorus director  
Victor BS-037403 10-in. 5/31/1939 Cinderella (Stay in my arms) Gray Gordon ; Cliff Grass ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-037404 10-in. 5/31/1939 That's right, I'm wrong Betty Bradley ; Gray Gordon ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo director  
Victor BS-037405 10-in. 5/31/1939 An old-fashioned tune is always new Betty Bradley ; Gray Gordon ; Tic-Toc Rhythm Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo director  
(Results 26-50 of 105 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Gordon, Gray," accessed November 24, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/104827.

Gordon, Gray. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 24, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/104827.

"Gordon, Gray." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/104827

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