Liner Notes

Red Hot Ragtime

Gee, imagine that! Another album featuring a trumpet player from my dad’s collection. And a trumpet player we’ve heard from before.

This time, we get to hear some great ragtime.

This artist not only fronted his own band, but got his pedigree through some of the best big bands in history.

So, get ready to hear a musician who had a movie made about his life in Volume 220: Red Hot Pennies.

Video Intro

Listen here or on my PodBean Podcast Episode page:

You can check out the video version here:

Credits and Copyrights:

See information from the Discogs.com page here

Red Nichols And His Famous Pennies – Hot Pennies
Label: Capitol Records – T 775
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Released: 1956
Genre: Jazz
Style: Ragtime

Recorded in Capitol Tower on September 7 and 10, 1956.

We will hear 6 of the 10 songs on this album.

Louisiana
written by Andy Razaf, J. C. Johnson, and Bob Schafer

Marchin’ With The Saints (aka When the Saints Go Marching In)
(Traditional)

Maple Leaf Rag
written by Scott Joplin

Blues At Midnight
written by Ivory Joe Hunter

Row, Row, Row
written by William Jerome, and Jimmy Monaco

Farewell Blues
written by Elmer Schoebel, Leon Roppolo, and Paul Mares

I do not own the rights to this music. ASCAP, BMI licenses provided by third-party platforms for music that is not under Public Domain.

#rednichols #ragtime #dixielandjazz #musichistory #vinylrecordcollecting #vinylrecords

Here is the Episode Script!

Thanks sweetie and thank YOU for tuning into episode 220 of Spinning My Dad’s Vinyl.

Gee, Imagine that! Another album featuring a trumpet player from my dad’s collection. And a trumpet player we’ve heard from before.

This time, we get to hear some great ragtime.

This artist not only fronted his own band, but got his pedigree through some of the best big bands in history.

So, get ready to hear a musician who had a movie made about his life in Volume 220: Red Hot Pennies.

[Music: Louisiana]

Red Nichols And His Famous Pennies with Louisiana
written by Andy Razaf, J. C. Johnson, and Bob Schafer

Ok…Why this record for this episode?

Because I really like this trumpet player. I wish my dad had more of his records.

He can switch gears with the best of them. Some hard Dixlieland and Ragtime, but able to play so smooth and soft when needed. It’s no wonder he was a favorite of some big name big band leaders.

Before we move on, let me introduce you to Red Nichols And His Famous Pennies.
Alto Saxophone – Wayne Songer
Bass Saxophone – Joe (Blizzard Gizzard) Rushton
Bass – Jack Ryan
Clarinet – Billy Wood, Heinie Beau
Drums – Rollie Culver
Guitar – George Van Eps
Piano – Bobby Hammack
Piano [Rhythm] – Al Stevenson
Trombone – Abe Lincoln, King Jackson, and Moe Schneider
Trumpet and Leader – Red Nichols

And I really like their treatment on this next one. Among my dad’s favorite tunes which is why it starts and ends every episode.

[Music: Marchin’ With The Saints]

Marchin’ With The Saints (aka When the Saints Go Marching In)
(Traditional)

Now let me tell you about my dad’s vinyl I am spinning for this episode.

Red Nichols And His Famous Pennies – Hot Pennies
Label: Capitol Records – T 775
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Released: 1956
Genre: Jazz
Style: Ragtime

Recorded in Capitol Tower on September 7 and 10, 1956.

We will hear 6 of the 10 songs on this album.

The liner notes are not long but I’m still only going to read a portion.

Loring Nichols needs few explanatory notes to accompany his records.

For 30 years, Red has been recording the music he loves most dearly, American jazz. He was a famous leader at 16, and at 19 was the trumpet tooting boss of men like Glenn Miller, Tommy and Jimmy dorsey, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw and other hot virtuosi of eminence.

Nichols’ famed five pennies waxed scores of hit records, his orchestras played in the pits of a dozen memorable Broadway musical shows, and radio broadcasts throughout the 1920s and 1930s further established the skilled little horn man from Ogden Utah, as an international favorite. Red’s abrupt decision in 1942 to abandon music, take a welding job in the Oakland shipyards and remain under the same roof every night with his polio stricken daughter, is a story that is perhaps without equal in American popular music.

In hot pennies, red is showcased in a Long play album recorded in true Hi-Fi for the first time in his career.

The tunes are all particularly identified with Nichols and his bright pennies, have been for years. but essentially, this is a nickel’s package, dominated by his punching trumpet and inspiring personality,

Capital is privileged to present Loring Nichols – and his hot pennies – in high fi. it’s a far cry from the twenties.

Let’s see what prices this record is being sold at on discogs dot com.

$20.00 High
$0.49 Low

$4.77 Average
$3.00 Median

Last sold on Feb 09, 2024 for that low of what actually was 45 cents Euro

My dad’s record is in pretty good condition. Not much hiss between the tracks, which seem to have a pretty clean sound themselves.

The surface is pretty clean. Only a few markings on it as if the album had been played plenty.

The cover is in poor condition. Lots of wear in the printed artwork on both sides. The top near the opening slot has a big slit and the bottom opposite it has a small slit.

The back cover has an almost unseen number penciled in the upper right corner. I can’t tell if it’s 3.98 as a price or a date of march of 1998. Can’t really be sure. But unlike any I’ve seen from my dad’s collection so far.

There is no address label on the front.

So I’ll value my dad’s vinyl at fifty cents.

Next up, a tune many of you should be familiar with and a great rendition at that.

[Music: Maple Leaf Rag]

Maple Leaf Rag
written by Scott Joplin

Now let’s learn a little about the featured artist.

Red Nichols was an American trumpet player and band leader born Ernest Loring Nichols on May 8, 1905, in Ogden, Utah. He showed musical talent from a young age and learned to play the cornet from his father. In the 1920s, Nichols moved to New York City, where he became a popular musician during the Jazz Age. He played with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Benny Goodman and Jimmy Dorsey, and led his own group called “Red Nichols and His Five Pennies.” The band recorded hundreds of songs and became known for their lively, upbeat style and skilled musicianship.

Red Nichols was known for his bright, clear trumpet sound and his ability to play both fast, catchy tunes and slower, more emotional songs. His most famous recordings include songs like *Ida! Sweet as Apple Cider* and *Battle Hymn of the Republic*. Even though the swing era of the 1930s made his music less popular, Nichols kept performing for decades, even playing in small clubs to support his family. In the 1950s, his life story was turned into a movie called *The Five Pennies*, starring Danny Kaye. His contributions to jazz and his dedication to his craft are still remembered today.

In 1986, Red Nichols was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame

He passed away on June 28, 1965. Red Nichols was 60 years old.

And now…what better time to play the blues?

[Music: Blues At Midnight]

Blues At Midnight
written by Ivory Joe Hunter

Time now for this episode’s interesting side note and it has to do with that break during the war. Did you think I was going to skip over that story?

In 1942, Red Nichols made a tough decision to leave the music business and take a job as a welder in the Oakland shipyards in California. World War II was going on, and shipyard jobs were important for building and repairing ships. But Red had a more personal reason for making this change. His daughter, Dorothy, had been diagnosed with polio, a serious illness that left her partially paralyzed. Red wanted to be there to support her and his family, so he gave up performing and touring to stay home every night.

During this time, Red worked long hours at the shipyards, but being home every night meant a lot to him. He was determined to take care of his daughter and help her get through her illness. Even though it was hard to leave the music world behind, Red knew his family needed him more than ever. His decision showed just how much he loved his daughter and how committed he was to his family.

After the war ended, Red slowly returned to performing and rebuilding his music career. His time away from music made him appreciate it even more, and he was eventually able to form a new version of his band, the Five Pennies. Though his career took a hit during those years, his dedication to his daughter never wavered, and he managed to find his way back to the stage.

The father’s love for a daughter. I know all about it.

Next up. This is not exactly the round we used to sing in elementary school music class.

[Music: Row, Row, Row]

Row, Row, Row (kind of the softest touch on the album)
written by William Jerome, and Jimmy Monaco

Well, I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

I don’t remember this album cover from my growing up days in the house.

I really think, according to the clues, my dad bought this well after I left home.

The cover features a photo of Red blowing into his horn on a red background. The album title Hot Pennies and Red’s name is in yellow capital letters. Also embedded in the background are several pennies. All wheat back.

The back cover has a small area of some avant garde artwork near a photo of Red behind a director’s podium. He’s looking over the score and pointing to someone presumably in the orchestra he is leading.

And as usual, I left some pretty good tunes on the record. I can’t get to them all.

So, let’s get ready to say. Farewell.

[Music: Farewell Blues]

Farewell Blues
written by Elmer Schoebel, Leon Roppolo, and Paul Mares

And there you have selections from a pretty popular trumpet player.

So thanks for tuning into Volume 220: Red Hot Pennies

however you did. If you want more information about this SHOW, head over to spinning my dad’s vinyl dot com.

I’ll be back next week with all my skips, scratches, and pops

FOR Volume 221: Every Twist You Take.

Until then,
Go with the flow my friends.