Introduction
Frank Dailey (1901—February 27, 1956) was an American swing violinist and big band leader from New Jersey. He ran several orchestras from the early 1920s, including with singers Louise Wallace and Irving Kaufman.
From 1931 onwards, he also owned a swing dance ballroom named "The Meadowbrook" in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, where many celebrated musicians performed, including Frank Sinatra, Glenn Miller, and Tommy Dorsey.
Life and career
Frank Dailey was born in 1901 in Bloomfield, New Jersey. He attended Seton Hall College in South Orange, New Jersey, studying to be a priest. While in school, he led a 5-piece orchestra in which he played violin. He dropped out of school after his father's death in 1918.
Dailey continued to play music and expanded his group to 9 members and played at a venue named Four Towers in Cedar Grove, New Jersey. He named his group Frank Dailey and his Meadowbrook Orchestra, which, at various times, included his brother Clifford Dailey; drummer Buddy Schutz; Howard DuLany; saxophonist Bud Freeman; trombonist Paul Tanner, singers Connie Haines, Dolly Dawn, and Edythe Wright; clarinetist Jack Shilkret; and pianist Arnold Ross, among others.
In 1935, Dailey's orchestra recorded a song titled "Gypsy Violin" that became their theme song. It was composed by Jack Betzner with lyrics by Charles O'Flynn.
In the early 1920s, Dailey broadcast on WJZ radio, a Westinghouse radio in Newark, New Jersey, from 1921 to 1923, before it moved to New York. In late 1923 and early 1924, his group made a few recordings on Edison Records ("You're like a Baby", "Cuddle-uddle up", "Cover me with Kisses", and "Just a funny little tune").
In 1925, his band released on Bell Records "Ukelele Lady" (written by Gus Kahn and Richard Whiting) and "Suite Sixteen" (written by Art Kassel, Billy Meyers, and Elmer Schoebel).
In 1926, his band played at the Knickerbocker Grill in New York. They also broadcast three to four times weekly over CBS radio and also toured the US west coast.
In April of 1931, Dailey and three of the original members of his orchestra bought the Pavillion Royal Hotel in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, and turned it into a swing dance ballroom named "The Meadowbrook". The Meadowbrook was a hot spot for jazz and swing dance bands throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Many big-name acts of the time played there including Tommy Dorsey's Orchestra, Mal Hallett, Glen Gray's Casa Loma Orchestra, Red Norvo, Isham Jones, Little Jack Little, and others. The Meadowbrook also aired nightly broadcasts, "Matinee At Meadowbrook", on the radio, which was later adapted for television. However, his club's business suffered after the Second World War, and Dailey was forced to file for bankruptcy.
In 1939, Jack Teagarden And His Orchestra recorded their album at Meadowbrook titled Jack Teagarden And His Orchestra Live at Frank Dailey's Meadowbrook on Vernon Music (VMCD-32899). The band was accompanied by John Fallstich, Tommy Gonsoulin, Sid Feller (trumpet); Joe Gutierrez, Seymour Goldfinger, Joe Ferrall (trombone); Benny Lagasse, Larry Walsh, Joe Ferdinando, Tony Antonelli, Art St.John (reeds); Nat Jaffe (piano); Danny Perri (guitar); Arnold Fishkind (bass); and Paul Collins (drums).
In 1940, Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra's recorded the song "Pompton Turnpike" (composed by Will Osborne and Dick Rogers; arranged by Billy Maxted) that commemorates Dailey's venue The Meadowbrook, which was located on Pompton Avenue in Cedar Grove, New Jersey.
Death
Dailey died in Montclair, New Jersey, on February 27, 1956, at age 55.