Columnist Joe Delaney: Tracing trumpeter Anthony’s rise to stardom

Joe Delaney

Friday, April 19, 2002 | 8:50 a.m.

Joe Delaney's column appears on Thursdays and Fridays. Reach him at joe@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4066.

Ray Anthony, now in his seventh decade as a star trumpeter and band leader, returns with his big swing band to Stardust Pavilion at 7 p.m. Saturday for a nostalgic listening and dancing session ... This is part of the Big Band Series Stardust has been presenting continually since 1996.

Other bands on the Stardust schedule this year include Les Brown's Band of Renown, Harry James, Billy May, Russ Morgan and Nelson Riddle ... With the exception of Anthony, the others are actually "ghost bands," so-called because each of the original leaders are deceased ... The ghost band plays the original arrangements of hit songs it recorded in the big-band era.

Anthony, born Raymond Antonini in Bentleyville, Pa., and raised in Cleveland, began his performing career at age 5 with the Antonini's Family Orchestra, composed of his father, two brothers and a sister ... Still in his teens, Anthony played in bands led by Al Donahue and Jimmy Dorsey ... In 1940, at age 18, he joined the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

During World War II Anthony joined the Navy and led his own band, touring the South Pacific and entertaining the troops ... After returning from the service he formed his own band, signed with Capitol Records, remaining with the label for nearly two decades ... He had a major success with his recording of the Jack Webb TV theme, "Dragnet."

His version of another TV series theme, "Peter Gunn," more than doubled the sales of the competitive recordings ... Fans will also remember a two-sided single release of two dance crazes -- "The Bunny Hop" and "The Hokey Pokey" ... An astute businessman as well as a multi-talented performer, Anthony has remained current and consistent through the decades.

We first met in the late 1940s. I was with Decca (now MCA) setting up a subsidiary label, Coral, visiting our distributor in Nashville ... Anthony and his then-Glenn Miller-styled band was playing a dance date in a ballroom ... The band was en route to New Orleans to play the Roosevelt Hotel Blue Room, had never played there and was concerned.

Impressed with Anthony and his band, I offered to give them a listing of all of the media in the Crescent City ... I would be there a few days before them, then make a round of distributors in Dallas, El Paso, San Antonio and Houston before returning to New Orleans ... Capitol Records had one of its best distributors, Mel Mallory, in New Orleans ... Mallory took over.

By the time I returned, Anthony was the talk of the town, a huge hit ... Later, in the 1950s, I was with RCA, managing its subsidiary, Label "X" ... Anthony came in to record a new trumpet prodigy for RCA ... His name was Avelone ... As Frankie Avalon, he made his debut with the label, strictly as an instrumental soloist.

With the Sun, I covered Anthony and his Book Ends, one of the top lounge acts in the 1960s and 1970s ... Anthony has appeared in 15 major motion pictures and recorded more than 100 albums and 500 single releases ... At age 80, he has retained his trumpeter's embouchure, his love of music and works hard promoting the big-band era and the recent revival of swing dancing.

Weekend wrap-up

"Bravo" starring Charo, exited The Venetian last night ... The show opens May 6 in the Sahara Congo Room, replacing "The Rat Pack is Back" ... The Smothers Brothers and Gary Mule Deer close Sunday at the LV Hilton but will be back several times more this year ... The Doobie Brothers, back to their original sound, play 10:30 p.m. shows at the Hilton tonight and Saturday.

Master blues guitarist Cheryl Justice and her group will rock the Lady Luck Lounge Saturday through Monday evenings, the first of four consecutive weekends; recommended ... The Las Vegas Philharmonic presents "Peter Schikele Meets P.D.Q. Bach," today at 8 p.m. (University of Nevada, Las Vegas' Artemus Ham Hall) ... See you next Thursday.