VINCENT LOPEZ - AUTOGRAPH SENTIMENT SIGNED CIRCA 1938 CO-SIGNED BY: SUNNY SKYLAR, BOB SPANGLER, DON WATT, MIKE RENGULLI, MILT FRIED, PAUL RICKENBACH, PENNY PARKER, "RED" DOLIN, ROGER MAJOR, LOYAL JOHNSON, "CHILI" DAHLETIN, WESLEY FOGEL, ED SWEENEY, MORTON BULLMAN, ANNE BARRETT - HFSID 225971

VINCENT LOPEZ AND HIS ORCHESTRA
The New York-born conductor and pianist signed this circular drum cover along with fifteen of his fellow bandmates
Signatures: “Best wishes/V-Lopez” on attached 3¾x3½ sticky note, “Paul Rickenbach Pianist”, “Loyal Johnson/(sax)”, “Milt Fried SAX”, “Mike Rengulli”, “Don Watt”, “Bob Spangler/Drummer”, “Chili Dahletin”, “Red Dolin/Trumpet”, “Wesley Fogel/tenor”, “Ed Sweeney/Bass”, “Morton Bullman”, “Sunny Skyler/(singer)”, “Penny/Parker Vocalist”, “Anne Barrett/Jitterbug”, and “Roger Major/Trumpet”. Signed by Lopez a second time on main page: “Best wishes/Vincent Lopez”. One final note written in unknown hand: “Dec '39/Tulane Room/Jung Hotel/New Orleans, La.”10½x10½ in a circular shape. Printed musical notes on both sides of page. The Tulane Ballroom was located at the famous Jung Hotel. This hotel was not just the largest convention hotel in Louisiana, but probably the largest in the South during its hey-day in the mid-20th Century. In 2005, the facility sustained heavy damage from Hurricane Katrina. Lopez and his orchestra did perform in Monroe, Louisiana, in December 1939, so it is likely that one of their other stops was at the Jung Hotel that same month. Pianist and orchestra leader Vincent Lopez (1895-1975) formed his first band in 1917. His was the first dance band to give a live radio broadcast (1921). Many famous musicians, including the Dorsey brothers, the Hutton sisters, Glenn Miller and Xavier Cugat, got their start with Lopez' swing band. Beginning in 1941, he starred for over two decades at New York's Taft Hotel; he also owned his own nightclub in New York, and had a local TV show. Lopez had an enduring interest in astrology and numerology, writing three books on the latter. He worked this interest into his shows, making fortune predictions for members of his audiences based on their month and date of birth. "Lopez speaking" was his signature line, spoken at the beginning of his radio and nightclub performances. All of the other signers are various performers in his big band: Anne Barrett succeeded Betty Hutton as the top national performer of the Jitterbug and married bandmate Morton “Morty” Bullman in 1942. Bullman performed on Broadway in 1991 with the musical Oh, Kay! Signers merit further research. Toned around edges. Irregular cut. Otherwise, fine condition.