Monroe, Vaughn, 1911-1973

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Vaughn Monroe (1911-1973) was an American baritone singer, trumpeter and big band leader and actor. Born in Akron, Ohio, on October 7, 1911, he graduated from Jeannette High School in Pennsylvania in 1929, later attending the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In the late 1930s he studied voice at the New England Conservatory of Music. Monroe formed his own band in Boston in 1940, and immediately had a big hit with There I Go, quickly followed by My Devotion, When The Lights Go On Again, Let's Get Lost and his theme tune Racing With The Moon. During this time he also opened his own nightclub, The Meadows, in Framingham, Massachusetts. His robust baritone, sometimes called The Voice With Hairs On Its Chest, sold the band to the public. Monroe recorded extensively in the 1940s with the RCA Victor label and had several Top 10 hits. Monroe also dabbled in movies, most notably in Meet the People (1944), Carnegie Hall (1947), Singing Guns (1950), and The Toughest Man in Arizona (1952). In the 1950s, Monroe directed most of his energies to TV appearances, hosting his own show on CBS, The Vaughn Monroe Show, from 1950-1951 and 1954-1955, while also appearing on Bonanza, The Mike Douglas Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, Texaco Star Theatre, The Jackie Gleason Show, The Tonight Show, and American Bandstand. Monroe died on May 21, 1973 in Florida due to complications from stomach surgery.

From the description of Vaughn Monroe photo collection, 1928-1952. (New England Conservatory of Music). WorldCat record id: 711684972

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
Art Dedrick Collection, 1939-1977 University of North Texas. Music Library
referencedIn Jan Peerce collection of sound recordings, 1932-1983 The New York Public Library. Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound.
creatorOf Vaughn Monroe Orchestra. We're the couple in the castle [sound recording] / [performed by] Vaughn Monroe Orchestra. Indiana University, Archives of Traditional Music
referencedIn Vaughn Monroe Collection, 1933-1993 University of North Texas. Music Library
referencedIn Eugene Earle Collection, 1939-1980s University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection.
referencedIn Duke Ellington recordings collection Eda Kuhn Loeb Music Library, Harvard College Library
creatorOf Monroe, Vaughn, 1911-1973. Vaughn Monroe photo collection, 1928-1952. New England Conservatory of Music, Harriet M. Spaulding Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
memberOf American Federation of Musicians corporateBody
memberOf American society of composers, authors and publishers corporateBody
associatedWith Camel cigarettes corporateBody
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Carnegie Institute of Technology corporateBody
ancestorOf Conniff, Ray, 1916-2002 person
associatedWith Costa, Don person
associatedWith Dodge, Joseph Jeffers person
associatedWith Earle, Eugene. person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf New England Conservatory of Music corporateBody
associatedWith Nichols, Red person
associatedWith Peerce, Jan, 1904-1984 person
associatedWith Pizzarelli, Bucky person
associatedWith Radio corporation of America corporateBody
associatedWith Ryerson, Frank, 1905-1995 person
associatedWith Vaughn Monroe Orchestra. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Cudahy WI US
Jensen Beach FL US
Pittsburgh PA US
Tallmadge OH US
Akron OH US
Stuart FL US
West Newton MA US
Newton MA US
Penn PA US
New York City NY US
Wayland (Mass.) MA US
Jeannette PA US
Boston MA US
Subject
Big band music
Jazz
Popular music
Occupation
Musicians
Bandleaders
Conductor
Entrepreneurs
Vocalists
Activity

Person

Birth 1911-10-07

Death 1973-05-21

Male

Americans

English

Information

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Ark ID: w6x74c31

SNAC ID: 85196400