Bob Howard
Bob Howard (born Howard Joyner, June 20, 1906 – December 3, 1986; another source gives his birth date as June 20, 1897) was an American pianist-vocalist on swing records in the 1930s. Born in Newton, Massachusetts, Joyner began singing in New York night clubs in the mid-1920s. He began recording in 1931 under his real name for Columbia. Under the name Bob Howard, he played New York's Park Central Hotel, Famous Door, Hickory House and other clubs as well as theaters. He was signed to Decca in late 1934 and recorded a series of hot small group swing records between 1935 and 1938. His studio groups included Benny Carter, Buster Bailey, Rex Stewart, Ben Webster, Teddy Wilson, Russell Procope, Cecil Scott, Cozy Cole, Bunny Berigan, Artie Shaw, Babe Russin and others. Howard did not play piano on his Decca recordings, only sang. He embarked on European tours as a solo performer. He also had his own radio series in New York in the middle and late 1930s. In the 1940s, he performed in a handful of short films (1936–1947). He acted in an episode of Perry Mason in 1959. In 1948, Howard hosted The Bob Howard Show on CBS, making him the first African-American to host a regularly broadcast network TV show. The program was cancelled after 13 episodes. He also was a regular performer on Sing It Again on CBS-TV in 1950 - 1951. He later relocated to Las Vegas and Los Angeles. He died in the Bronx, New York. |
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 26-50 of 96 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Decca | 39519 | 10-in. | 5/7/1935 | Ev'ry day | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 39520 | 10-in. | 5/7/1935 | A porter's love song | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 39521 | 10-in. | 5/7/1935 | I can't dance | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 39693 | 10-in. | 7/10/1935 | If the moon turns green | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 39694 | 10-in. | 7/10/1935 | Lulu's back in tovm | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 39723 | 10-in. | 7/18/1935 | In a little gypsy tea room | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 39724 | 10-in. | 7/18/1935 | I never saw a better night | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 39725 | 10-in. | 7/19/1935 | Lost my rhythm, lost my music, lost my man | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 39726 | 10-in. | 7/19/1935 | I'm painting the town red | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 60073 | 10-in. | 10/17/1935 | It's funny what a kiss can do | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 60074 | 10-in. | 10/17/1935 | Sugar plum | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 60075 | 10-in. | 10/17/1935 | It's written in the stars | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 60076 | 10-in. | 10/17/1935 | Give me a break, baby | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 60404 | 10-in. | 1/28/1936 | Whose big baby are you? | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 60405 | 10-in. | 1/28/1936 | Much too much | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 60406 | 10-in. | 1/28/1936 | Garbo green | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 60407 | 10-in. | 1/28/1936 | You hit the spot | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 60454 | 10-in. | 2/10/1936 | Spreadin' rhythm around | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 60455 | 10-in. | 2/10/1936 | Wake up and sing | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 60935 | 10-in. | 3/26/1936 | I'd like to see you | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 60936 | 10-in. | 3/26/1936 | If love is blind | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 60937 | 10-in. | 3/26/1936 | Mr. Rhythm for president | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 60938 | 10-in. | 3/26/1936 | Get acquainted with yourself | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 60939 | 10-in. | 3/26/1936 | The best things happen at night | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist | ||
Decca | 60979 | 10-in. | 4/3/1936 | No use you knockin' | Bob Howard Orchestra | vocalist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Howard, Bob," accessed October 11, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/110280.
Howard, Bob. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved October 11, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/110280.
"Howard, Bob." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 11 October 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Bob Howard
Discogs: Bob Howard
Allmusic: Bob Howard
Grove: Bob Howard
IMDb: Bob Howard
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Howard, Bob, 1906-1986 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no96033947
Wikidata: Bob Howard - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q888000
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/19273316
MusicBrainz: Bob Howard - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/ab30bd61-8223-42cd-b4cf-6bd8e2a00efc
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