The Make Believe Ballroom carries on the tradition of past hosts Martin Block, Al Jarvis, William B Williams, and Steve Allen by carrying the greatest hits of the 1930s, 1940s, and the first few years of the 1950s.
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom Duke Ellington serves as a second banana, some notes on the song Dipsy Doodle, more music from the 1944 War Bonds fundraiser the Esquire All American Jazz concert, a few great emails from our listeners as well as other great music from the big band era of the 1930s and 40s.
On today's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom a look at how a radio show got the word out about a brand new Broadway hit, Benny Goodman on the radio, a long look at a classical concert as well as a host of additional great tunes and stories about the fabulous Big Band Era.
Join us for this week's edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM as we tell a Sinatra story and read a wonderful listener email about autographs along with our usual assortment of fantastic tales and music from the beloved big band era.
On this week's edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM, a look at Billy May, some tremendous British swing and dance band music, a comedian songwriter, and a plethora of additional stories and music from the wonderful big band era.
On this week's edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM the first time ever heard on record, or seen on film for two legendary celebrities, a look at something heard in the background for decades that we don't think much about plus other great music and stories.
On this week's edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM a little remembered band, some British dance band music, a Benny Goodman question, a cowboy tune, a state song plus a wide array of great music from the big band era of the 1930s and 40s.
On this week's edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM a look at combining talent to produce some wonderful records at Brunswick and Decca, a Bing Crosby duet partner, a look at a singer who walked away from fame as well as our usual assortment of amazing music from the 1930s and 1940s.
On this week's edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM, Fletcher Henderson arrangments led to Benny Goodman's success, a listen to a couple of "all girl" big bands of the 40s, two new Artie Shaw stories, a singer turned actor, as well as more great tunes from the beloved big band era.
This week is a very special 88th Anniversary Edition of the Make Believe Ballroom. Join Jeff Bressler as he takes us back to present the history of the show which began its broadcast odyssey in February of 1935 via WNEW 1130 AM in New York.
Join us for this week's edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM as we hear some music that made the Depression less depressing, so lesser known Glenn Miller recordings, an autographed photo listeners request as well as a whole lot more great music from the Big Band era of the 1930s and 1940s.
On today's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom a few tough trivia questions, we continue to play some artists we haven't heard over the past year, a similar story with 2 different endings, plus much more music and tales from the revered big band era.
On this week's edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM a look at songwriting due, how a celebrity got her stage name, tunes you didn't think had lyrics, plus a program bursting with more music from the treasured big band era.
Join us for another edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM as we pay tribute to one of the greatest songwriters of all time, take a look at some novelty tunes and play a host of classic hits and stories from the big band era.
On this week's edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM we vow to play music of artists we have not heard on the show in over a year, the story behind the story of the song In the Mood, an email letter for an old listener plus many more stories and songs from the cherished big band era.
For our first program of 2023 a look at some of the songs composed by the legendary Harry Warren, a new listeners email, some tunes from an obscure record label plus a bountiful number of additional recordings and stories from the big band era.
On this week's edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM a few Sinatra tunes attributed to him but first recorded by others, some songs dedicated to a listener born in 1938, and a treasure trove of additional records and stories from the big band era.
On this week's edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM a look at a novelty singer of the '60s and 70s who molded his career after an old time crooner, a songstress who for a while was more popular than her uber famous husband, the Mills Brothers' unique "band" plus a whole lot more great music and stories from the big band era.
Join us for this week's edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM. Lenny and his wife are away on vacation so that gives Jeff Bressler the opportunity to play a few songs from the 50s and 20s. A few great listener's emails and a whole lot more music and stories from the big band era.
Join us for this week's edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM, where we reminisce about stories that appeared in 1930s and 1940s copies of both Billboard and Down Beat magazines. Great music and tales from the Big Band Era.
A look at a famous Copywrite dispute, a stroll past a historic music building, a talented female lyricist plus a bunch of great music from the big band era.
Join us for another great episode of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM. On today's show a look at songs with female names in the title, a Lenny from Down the Block on Broadway story, a look at an email that asks for a request that has nothing to do with music plus a plethora of additional music, and stories from the big band era.
On today's edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM, a numerical email from a listener, songs about food and beverage, Jeff Bressler's tale of visiting the dairy case, and a whole lot more music and history of the big band era.
On this week's edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM, a look at one of the greatest female lyricists of all time, an email from a listener with a pretty strange name, some music by a Benny Goodman small group, then some individual music from its members, a question about Sammy Kaye and a whole lot more music and stories from the big band era of the 1930s and 1940s.
Join us for this week's MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM as we continue to delve into the Ralphie from Canarsie, Brooklyn record club list, Bing Crosby duets, a bizarre Artie Shaw magazine piece, and spin a few novelty songs.
On this week's MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM via a raffle drum, some random music selections from our famous Ralphie for Canarsie Brooklyn's list of his and his neighbor's record clubs close to 800 ranked songs from the big band era.
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom a long look at a long-a-go ballroom in the keystone state that is still in operation today!
Join us for this week's MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM as we take a look at some tunes that were featured in movie musicals during the 1940s. Over 100 films in the 30s and 40s featured big band music.
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom Jack Teagarden's some may say strange obsession, we go back to 1935 to learn about a historic radio program and in between some of the great tunes and stories from the big band era.
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, a look at a singer who you might not recognize..and perhaps neither did he, a tribute to a songwriter who we, unfortunately, gave short shrift to last week, a listeners email, and a show filled with more great music from the big band era.
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom a whole lot of listeners emails, wrapped around some great music and stories from the big band era.
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom a Benny Goodman second look, a bandleader whose name sounds familiar but hard to place, a bandleader whose name you will never recognize, a listeners favorite tunes, plus many, many more tunes from the big band era.
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, the history of a swing era classics name, a famous record club selection, some great music surrounding two listeners' emails, and a host of some of the great tunes of the 1930s and 1940s.
Join us for this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom as we explore the music venues in the old Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City, a little Cole Porter, an Artie Shaw story, and loads of more great music from the big band era of the 1930s and 1940s.
Join us for this week's edition of Make Believe Ballroom where we take a close look at a gentleman who had absolutely nothing to do with the music industry, a beloved song with two possible origins, a songwriters lament about the initial tempo of his song, plus a treasure trove of more great records and stories from the big band era.
Join us in the Make Believe Ballroom this week as we look at the music we play on our virtual turntable and real turntable in the Crystal Studio. Also on the show, a big band era stalwart discusses his take on the longevity of swing music through a story that appeared in a 1939 edition of Down Beat magazine. In addition, a music packed hour featuring some of your favorite bands and singers.
On this edition of the Make Believe Ballroom, we take most of the program to read show emails. Through the emails, we learn of a listener who discovered a "new' musician from the 1930s, a nostalgic Ballroom fan with a memory of Ella Fitzgerald, how one weekly listener discovered the lindy hop, and a fan with a trivia question. In addition, we delve into some great music and stories from the big band era of the 1930s and 40s.
On this edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM a risque song from a Jack Benny bandleader, Lenny from Down the Block shares a drumming album, an unusual story about a vocal trio mother, plus a ton of more great music and reminisces from the big band era.
On this week's MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM a look at a female bandleader who led an all-male band, some tunes that you may not realize also had lyrics, a famous sister-in-law plus our usual array of great music and stories from the big band era of the 30s and 40s.
On this edition of the MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM a quick tribute to a great bassist, an unlikely female band leader, mail order music, plus a listeners email and tons of great music from the 30s and 40s.
On this week's MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM we are taking a quick one week summer holiday. In the meantime, a Make Believe Ballroom Redux. On this past broadcast, we break down a Fats Waller song to figure out and discuss its meaning. Also, a look at some of the top-selling sheet music from the big band era.
Another great edition of the Make Believe Ballroom featuring an action-packed hour of some wonderful music and stories from the big band era of the 30s and 40s.
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom we do our twice-annual console cleaning in the Crystal Studio to remove all the sticky notes containing the names of songs and segments we did not have time for on previous shows. Plenty of great music and stories.
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom a special look at the Hollywood Walk of Fame and some of the stars of the big band era who achieved recognition. Many big band luminaries were voted in during the inaugural laying of sidewalk tiles back in 1960.
On this week's edition of the Make Believe Ballroom more swinging to the classics with John Kirby. more music surrounding FDR's Presidency, how Benny Goodman spent his "down time" during his 1935 Palomar Ballroom engagement, a songwriting contest, and much more music and stories from the big band era.
The Andrews Sisters didn't play nice when they had the golden opportunity to be paired with Glenn Miller on the radio.
A nice test pressing, sage advice from a legend, maybe the biggest birthday party ever, the toast of NY jazz, classical music on the Make Believe Ballroom indeed. All this plus some of the great music of the big band era on this edition.
This listener's favorite concerns the relationship between trumpet player and bandleader Ray Anthony and Glenn Miller. Ray celebrated his 100th birthday this past January. Ray's illustrious career went on for decades past his early days with Glenn Miller. Somehow, as Ray laments in this clip, Miller and him just never seemed to jell. A funny story. The segment was part of the Make Believe Ballroom's August 12, 2020 broadcast.
What made famous comedian Morey Amsterdam a "rat" during the big band era? Listen to an interesting story of how one of the beloved stars of the old Dick Van Dyke Show pulled a fast one in the music industry!
Join Jeff Bressler for this week's Make Believe Ballroom featuring a Washington DC high school music edict, a Glenn Miller bust? a historical song and its background, a kids survey, stars gather to "bury" some music, plus some additional outstanding records and artists.
Join Jeff Bressler for this week's Make Believe Ballroom featuring some paranoid 1940s DJs, a practical joking music legend, an enormous Chicago 1930s dance party, a comedian's checkered songwriting past, plus emails from listeners, and as always some of the swingingest records from the 30s and 40s.
On this week's Make Believe Ballroom - Are there still Big Band era luminaries with us today? A battle between a bandleader and a radio celebrity. A scandalous tale. Join us for this and much more wonderful music and stories from the Big Band era of the 1930s and 40s.
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
