Ray McKinley
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Ray McKinley | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Raymond McKinley |
| Also known as | "Eight Beat Mac" "Mac" |
| Born | June 18, 1910 Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | May 7, 1995 (aged 84) |
| Genre(s) | Jazz, Big band |
| Occupation(s) | Bandleader |
| Instrument(s) | Drums |
| Years active | 1926–1980s |
| Label(s) | Decca, Capitol, Majestic, RCA Victor, Epic, and Dot |
| Associated acts | Jimmy Dorsey, Will Bradley Orchestra, Glenn Miller, and the Glenn Miller Orchestra |
| Former members | |
| lead saxophonists Ray Beller (1940s) and Lenny Hambro ('50s and '60s), tenor saxist Bobby Jones, baritone saxophonist-arranger Deane Kincaide, trumpeter Bobby Nichols, arranger Eddie Sauter | |
Ray McKinley (June 18, 1910–May 7, 1995) was an American jazz drummer, singer, and bandleader.
McKinley got his start working with local bands in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, before joining Smith Ballew in 1929, when he met Glenn Miller. The two formed a friendship which lasted from 1929 until Miller's death in 1944. McKinley and Miller joined the Dorsey Brothers in 1934. Miller left for Ray Noble in December 1934, while McKinley remained. The Dorsey Brothers band became Jimmy's after Tommy left and formed his own band in 1935.
McKinley remained with Jimmy until 1939, when he joined Will Bradley, becoming co-leader. His biggest hit with Bradley, as a singer, was "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar," which he recorded early in the year 1940, (and for which McKinley got partial songwriting credit under his wife's maiden name Eleanore Sheehy). McKinley and Bradley split in 1942 and McKinley formed his own band, which recorded for Capitol Records. The McKinley band was short-lived. When McKinley broke up the band, he joined Glenn Miller's Army Air Force band, which he co-led with arranger Jerry Gray after Miller's disappearance in December 1944. Upon being discharged at the end of the following year, McKinley formed an excellent, remarkably modern big band that featured a book of original material by legendary arranger Eddie Sauter (along with a helping of novelty vocals by the leader). But with the business in decline, by 1950 that band was history and McKinley began evolving into a part-time leader and sometime radio and TV personality. In 1956, capitalizing on the popularity of the Glenn Miller Story movie with James Stewart, McKinley was chosen to be the leader of the revived Glenn Miller band, which he led until 1966. He co-hosted (with former Air Force band vocalist Johnny Desmond) a 13-week CBS-TV summer series with the band on CBS-TV in 1961. Surviving kinescopes of the program, which was broadcast live, show another side of McKinley's talent: On that "Glenn Miller Time" series he was a more than adept song and dance man as well. He died in Largo, Florida.
He is referred to as "Eight Beat Mack" in the lyrics to the song "Down the Road a Piece," which he recorded with Will Bradley in 1940. This was the earliest recording of the song, which was written specifically for Bradley's band by Don Raye. McKinley recorded the song at least five times, with his own band or in other bands.
The National Museum of American History, a branch of the Smithsonian Institution, has collections of Ray McKinley photographs. Currently some are available online. [1]
[edit] External links
- ^ Ray McKinley. National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved on 2008-06-10.
