The Rhythm Boys were a male singing trio consisting of Bing Crosby, Harry Barris and Al Rinker. Crosby and Rinker began performing together in 1925 and were recruited by Paul Whiteman in late 1926. Pianist/singer/songwriter Barris joined the team in 1927. They made a number of recordings with the Whiteman Orchestra and released singles in their own right with Barris on piano. They appeared with the Whiteman orchestra in the film King of Jazz (Universal Pictures, 1930), in which they sang Mississippi Mud, So the Bluebirds and the Blackbirds Got Together, I'm a Fisherman, Bench in the Park, and Happy Feet.
In May 1930, after three and a half years with Paul Whiteman, The Rhythm Boys left and took up residency at the Ambassador Hotel's Cocoanut Grove night club performing there with Gus Arnheim's Orchestra. Many of these nightly performances were broadcast live from the club along the Pacific coast. They recorded one song, Them There Eyes, with Arnheim's Orchestra for Victor Records in November 1930.[1]
They appeared in the 1931 film Confessions of a Co-Ed where they sang Ya Got Love and Crosby sang Out of Nowhere.
The group disbanded when in mid-May 1931 they walked out on their contract with the Cocoanut Grove and were subsequently banned by the American Federation Of Musicians. Crosby, who had previously made some short films for Mack Sennett and a few solo records while still with the group, effectively launched his phenomenal solo career in 1931. They reunited briefly to appear on the Paul Whiteman Presents radio show broadcast on July 4, 1943.
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Harry Barris was the uncle of television personality and producer Chuck Barris.