June 24th 1900 - January 24th 1972
With his smooth, emotive vocal style and charming piano abilities, Gene Austin rocketed to fame and became an icon of his time. Upon the advent of the electric microphone in 1925 performers no longer had to project their voice out of necessity, and Gene quickly took advantage of this ability to sing in a new way to his audiences. Pioneering a style he used the phrase “crooning” to describe his intimate approach, a genre which would evolve and become popularized by such well known acts as Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. Gene had an astounding number of Billboard charting hits, including his most well known, "My Blue Heaven" which at the time was the highest selling record in history. The sum total of album sales would have awarded him over 90 Gold Records by today’s standards, a baffling amount of vinyl the likes of which was unheard of before his career. His charm and pop sensibilities helped usher in a new era of American music, but the turning tide of recording technology would ultimately leave his legacy collecting dust.
Growing up on a small farm Gene escaped a troubled home life in search of a better future. Spending countless hours with his mentor Uncle Esau, he vowed to bring the music of the plantations to mainstream ears. While train hopping he ran into a group of drifters who gave him traveling advice in exchange for a song. An impromptu performance left them speechless, “Dammit kid, you sure that singin’ came outta your throat? Sounded more like a spirit than anything human to me… Spookiest sound I ever heard!”
The ghostly singer continued on his path, one day stumbling across a traveling military band in sudden need of a vocalist. He took hold of the opportunity and volunteered his talents. The band and crowd alike were enamored by the sound and he was given a permanent spot for the rest of the tour. Eventually he signed a contract with Victor Records and began recording tunes which would define the whole Flapper era.
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From the rollicking “Yes Sir That’s My Baby” to the romantic “My Blue Heaven” his music offered a rich variety of emotions that the public couldn’t resist. There were many iterations of musical accompaniment, but perhaps most renowned was his trio with Candy & Coco. The guitarist and upright bassist offered a virtuosity not unlike Gene’s, their combined abilities and unbridled passion at times almost reaching the foundations of rock and roll. Watch their performance of “After You’ve Gone” from the1934 film Sadie McKee to get your heart pumping.
Inspiration came from all over, sometimes completely out of the blue. In a story from his autobiography “Gene Austin’s Ol’ Buddy” he tells of a moment playing mischief on a sleepy friend who was an elevator operator. Dropping peanut shells along the slow journey up he awakened to declare “Gene, why do you do me like you do?” a phrase that rung in his ear like the lyrics to some unwritten song. Picking up after himself he patted his friend on the shoulder and thanked him for the inspiration to what would soon be another famous studio recording.
The session that yielded radio classic “My Blue Heaven” would never have happened if not for a sudden inspiration. Wrapping up a long day the studio band left for the evening, only clarinet and cello lingering behind. With a song burning in his pocket Gene convinced his buddy Victor to give him one more take. The performance was responsible for what would quickly become a defining track of the era, and perhaps the most charming three minutes ever recorded up to that point. Ironically the lack of band members would lend a more intimate atmosphere to the piece.
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In another fascinating tale from his life a terrible miscommunication would lead the public to believe he had died, when in fact he was temporarily lost at sea upon his yacht! Listening to the radio he actually heard his own elegy, a sensation he said left him feeling like a ghost, "The wrecked boat is believed to be the Blue Heaven. Coast Guard headquarters give little hope that the man who sang his way into America's heart could have survived the terrible hurricane. Will each of you just tuning in, join me as we continue our memorial program..." After a fateful journey back to shore everyone was overjoyed to discover his safe return.
Enjoying drinks in a bar he heard news of the stock market crash. His life had been one of incredible progress from dirt poor to grand riches, and such a change affected him little compared to his pals in a sudden panicked frenzy all around him. Music was always his main driving force, and he had invested his earnings well. He quickly rebuilt his fame and fortune over the next few decades with non stop recording, radio, TV and live performances.
Personal favorites include the mystical “Garden In The Rain,” the only British composition to be recorded by Gene, hand selected and rearranged. “Tamiami Trail” has a catchy rhythm and lyrics that are fun to sing along to. Classics “Yes Sir That’s My Baby,” and “Five Foot Two Eyes Of Blue” are songs that anyone over fifty knows by heart, and for good reason. The musical intricacies and guitar prowess of “Ridin' Around In The Rain” always impress me, as well as the incredible vocal melodies and harmonies. One of his earliest recordings “Thousand Miles” has a charm never to be captured again. Music from his film “Songs from the Saddle” are refined and energized, “Sweetheart Tonight” and “I Fell Down and Broke My Heart in Two” being standout tracks. After a decade of enjoying his music I still have not finished listening to it all!
If not for a drastic increase in audio quality we may still hear his songs on the radio today. However the inability to upgrade recordings from the majority of his most famous years leaves many of his tunes sitting in a box. For better or worse enough time has passed that much of his discography is now available in the public domain for free listening. As older generations fade, it seems his music will sadly become more and more obscured. In the grand scheme of art the quality of his performances are timeless, and no amount of dust or scratches on vinyl can completely destroy his legacy for those who admire his work. Take a walk down memory lane and let the grand old sounds of yesteryear surround you!
2021-10-05 BY SAM SCARPELLI