Trevor Bacon

By Marv Goldberg

© 2024 by Marv Goldberg

Singer and guitarist, Trevor Bacon is mostly known for being the male vocalist with the Lucky Millinder Orchestra in the early 1940s. NOTE: The Millinder band was extremely popular, therefore I'm not going to go into minute detail as to where they appeared. I'll pretty much only cite some appearances at which Trevor's name was mentioned. (And, for all of you who don't know, Indianapolis is nicknamed "Naptown".)

Trevor Homer Bacon was born November 2, 1906. His birthplace is usually given as Roaring Springs, in Trigg County, Kentucky, but on both his World War 2 registration and the birth certificate of his daughter, he said he was born in Lafayette, Kentucky, which is in Christian County (although they're not all that far apart). If the family lived in Roaring Springs in 1906, I suppose it's possible that the place didn't have a hospital and his parents went to Lafayette to have their baby. Looking ahead, Trevor's brother, Aubrey, would tell the draft board that he was born in Cadiz (also in Trigg County), reinforcing my guess that Roaring Springs didn't have a hospital.

Trevor's parents were James William Bacon and Almeda "Meade" Garnett. The 1910 census has the family living in Trigg County, Kentucky, although it doesn't give a town name, only saying "a part of 6th Magisterial District". The census shows James W. Bacon (a teacher in "common school"), his wife "Mead" and six children: Vadia (17 years old), Vivian (13), Serling (12), Malcolm (10), Trevor (4), and Aubrey (1). NOTES: "Vadia" is probably wrong, since she was always known as "Vada"; "Serling" should be "Sterling"; and Aubrey, which, incredibly, they got right here, is usually mangled to "Audrey".

Sister Vada married Daniel Malone around 1913. By the 1930 census, she was a widow. Trevor's brother, Sterling, died from tuberculosis in March 1914, at the age of 15.

This was followed by mother Almeda dying (also from tuberculosis) in January 1917. Her death certificate (as "Meade Bacon") says both "married" and "divorced", so take your pick. Sometime after Almeda died, James married Ora Kline Walls.

In the 1920 census, Trevor's father is now a farmer, married to Ora. With Vada now married and Sterling dead, the remaining siblings are Vivian, Malcolm, Trevor, and Aubrey. Also present are Ora's sons from a prior marriage, Rudolph and Porter Walls. The census sheet still says "6th Magisterial District", but now adds "Roaring Springs".

Soon after that, certainly by 1922, the family had moved to Indianapolis. A later article (in the March 18, 1943 Indianapolis Star) said that Trevor had attended School No. 26 and Manual Training High.

In August 1922, sister Vivian married James R. Stevenson in Indianapolis and then completely vanished. When her father died, some 13 years later, she wasn't named in his obituary and had, presumably, died.

The 1923 Indianapolis City Directory has James living at 2440 Cornell and Ola at 1612 Garfield. I guess that James and Ora had divorced, or at least separated.

As far as newspapers are concerned, Trevor Bacon both began and ended his life automotively. His first mention was in the June 13, 1924 Franklin, Indiana Evening Star:

Robert Brown, Trevor Bacon, Malcolm Bacon, and Kenneth Dunville were each given a sentence of from one to fourteen years in the Reformatory at Pendleton [Indiana] by Judge Miller in Johnson circuit court this morning. The boys were sentenced on a charge of grand larceny following their arrest at New Albany Tuesday noon.

They took a Ford belonging to Carl Dennis from in front of the Terhune home on North Edwards street Monday evening.

The young men were taken to Pendleton this morning.

I have no idea why they were in New Albany, which is about 115 miles from Indianapolis and across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky. In spite of the potential long sentences imposed, Trevor was in the 1926 Indianapolis directory; both he and Malcolm were in the 1927 version (although Trevor is listed as "Treba").

After that, Trevor turned to more menial pursuits. From 1930 through 1934, he's in the Indianapolis City Directory as a waiter.

Trevor married Nancy Croney on July 7, 1931 in Indianapolis. Their daughter, Norma Travers Bacon, was born a couple of weeks later, on July 25. However, she only lived a month, dying on August 25. Their son, Trevor Homer Bacon, Jr. was born on December 31, 1932.

Coming up in the world, in August 1933, Trevor was listed as one of the incorporators of the Imperial Aces Club in Indianapolis. This was a social club, not a physical location.

In 1934, Trevor was the president of an organization called the Ace Of Clubs, which gave a formal dance at the Walker Casino on January 24.

Finally, what you've been waiting for. On October 6-7, 1934, Trevor Bacon "and His Famous Orchestra" appeared at Izsak's Grand Terrace Club (which just happened to be managed by his brother, Aubrey). They appeared on weekends, on and off, through February 1935.

Although Trevor and Nancy were married in 1931, she doesn't show up in the Indianapolis City Directory before 1935.

The December 15, 1934 Indianapolis Recorder gave the personnel for a local band called the Brown Buddies, saying: "The band, as you know, is composed of all-Indianapolis talent and the members are as follows: trumpets: Herman Twines, Bill Osborn, Roger Jones; trombone: John Overton; reeds: Bertram Gardner, James Allen, Sampson Barnett; piano: James Wharton; drums: C. C. Smithy; bass: Robert LaMar; guitar: Billy Pollard; and Jimmie Reeves is the emcee (director to you)." Trevor's name wasn't associated with them then, but Jones and Gardner will pop up again later. [In 1931, Bertram Gardner had been in a group, the Ten Rhythm Boys, with Jerry Daniels, future founding member of the Ink Spots.]

The February 16, 1935 Indianapolis Recorder said: "The Brown Buddies have landed at Isaac's [sic; should be "Izsak's"] Tavern, 25th and Martindale, and the situation is well in hand. The lads are playing to crowds at the place on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. The band is featuring Trevor Bacon at the 'mike' and to this writer's notion he will go a long way in the business; what a pleasing personality and a none too bad voice, he is bound to get over." It seems like, at this point, Trevor was their vocalist for a while.

On April 20, 1935, Trevor Bacon and his Harlem Hi-Hatters were the band at a dance at the newly re-opened Athenaeum in Indianapolis. They were referred to as "from the WLW Cotton Club, Cincinnati" (the name of a radio show over WLW).

The April 20 Indianapolis Recorder had: "[At the Monte Grille] Trevor Bacon, Louis [sic; should be Louise] Jenkins [piano], and Bert Gardner [sax] were booting out syncopation to the enjoyment of sitting parties." Presumably these were the Hi-Hatters. A subsequent blurb in the May 11 Indianapolis Recorder talked about them: "Bertram Gardner tooted tantalizing tunes on his tooter while guests nibbled tasty tid-bits tactfully toted by tiny waitresses in the Monte Grille the last week end [I hope you like alliteration]. We also like Trevor Bacon's singing - as we have said before - Louise Jenkins was at the piano."

The March 30, 1935 Indianapolis Recorder spoke of a dance to be held on April 24 at Tomlinson Hall. "Trevor Bacon, the popular singing maestro and his delightful Harlem Hi-Hatters will play the dance."

May 10 and 11 found "Treavor [sic] Bacon And His Harlem Hi-Hatters" at The Elms in Logansport, Indiana. The ad said they were "Direct From Cotton Club, New York City". But they weren't. It was the show on Cincinnati's WLW called the Cotton Club.

The Hi-Hatters appeared at the Odeon Theater in St. Louis, on May 18, along with the Berry Brothers. The show also had the 3 Brown Buddies, who were dancers and not related to the Indianapolis band. The Hi-Hatters did well and Trevor sent a letter to a columnist at the Indianapolis Recorder (June 29, 1935):

Word comes via the mail that Trevor Bacon and his Harlem Hi-Hatters are going over in a big way at the Odeon theatre down in St. Louis. . . It reads: "Dear CD . . . How is everything up in Naptown? The boys are well and doing fine. We like this town. It is another Chicago, as I guess you know (no, I didn't)... Knowing that the people back home may be interested in our success, I am sending you a few clippings that appeared in the St. Louis papers. We were on the show with the Berry Bros. the first week we were here. [There was an Odeon ad on May 18, but it only mentioned the Berry Brothers.] This week Miller and Slater are the headliners and they are said to have the fastest show on the road. . . We are heading West from here and don't expect to be back home until late fall." . . . signed, Trevor Bacon.

Were the Hi-Hatters just Trevor Bacon (vocals and, possibly, guitar), Louise Jenkins (piano), and Bert Gardner (sax)? It seems a little thin for a theater show, but it's possible. No other names were ever associated with them.

On July 9, said the July 13 Pittsburgh Courier in their "Rambling 'Round St. Louis" column: "Bouquets to Trevor Bacon of Indianapolis and his unit who so timely and readily volunteered and appeared during intermission of Lue Swarz's preview last Friday afternoon at the Amytis Theater." No, I don't get anything out of that either.

I don't know where they went after St. Louis. I thought that they appeared in Stanton, Nebraska on August 15, but that turned out to be the Fite-Baker Harlem Hi-Hatters, a fairly popular Midwest group.

Back in Indianapolis, Trevor's father, James, died on September 25, 1935. His obituary only named four children: Vada, Aubrey (as "Audrey"), Malcolm, and Trevor ("a well known Indianapolis entertainer and orchestra leader"). Since daughter Vivian isn't mentioned, I assume she had died sometime after her 1922 marriage. There's also no mention of second wife Ora.

In the 1936 Indianapolis City Directory, Trevor and Nancy were living at different addresses. She'd be at that same address through 1945.

The Indianapolis News of March 21, 1936 talked about the show at the Around The Corner Grille: "The versatile band known as Bacon's Brown Buddies, is appearing here, presenting its unusual style of syncopation for diners and dancers. Trevor Bacon is master of ceremonies and directs the musical capers of the St. Louis band. Roger Jones and his trumpet [mentioned in the 1934 version of the group] make an excellent harmony combination, as well as Cleve McBottoms and his saxophone and clarinet." This batch of Brown Buddies seems to have disbanded by the following month. But why St. Louis? Were Jones and McBottoms (whose name was actually Cleve Mack Bottoms) part of the Brown Buddies? It was beyond the capabilities of the writer to make that clear. [I'm sure that all you budding researchers will be thrilled to learn that there was also a Brown Buddies Bridge Club in Indianapolis at the same time. Don't even get me started on the Brown Buddies baseball team.]

They were still at the Around The Corner Grille when the April 11 Indianapolis News said: "Trevor Bacon directs his Brown Buddies in gay programs of melodious music nightly at this club. Also featured at the club are Roger Jones, master of the trumpet, and Cleve McBottoms [still couldn't get his name right], versatile saxophonist and clarinetist." Once again, it's not clear if Jones and Bottoms were part of the Brown Buddies.

Ok, let's forget the Brown Buddies for a while. (No, let's make it forever.) The June 6 Indianapolis Recorder had something better:

Earl Hines' band left town last week and took with them Trevor Bacon, local singer and banjo player, who according to reports will become vocalist with the aggregation. Again, we say, another Naptown boy has reached the top. Friends of Mr. Bacon gave him a royal farewell party before his departure.

Mr. Bacon received his early inspiration from his father, James Bacon, and took up the study of music seriously and has been a student to Roscoe Polin [a local choral director] for the past three years. He studied harmony, music appreciation, music history, voice, sight-singing, and ear-training. He is sure to make good in his new position.

The Hines band played the Apollo Theater the week of June 5, but Trevor's name wasn't mentioned. Hines' male singer seemed to be Charlie Ray, whom the New York Age reviewer didn't particularly like. [Note that Hines was nicknamed "Father" at this point. It wouldn't become "Fatha" until the 1940s.]

The September 5, 1936 Indianapolis Recorder said that the band was now in New York:

Nothing like a bulky letter from an old friend to perk one up . . . Trevor Bacon, local lad who left with Earl Hines and is really making good in the big city (New York) and asked that I write him and tell him the news.... His address is 353 W. 117 St., Apt. 1-A. You "Cats" drop the hometowner a line. Now girls, one at a time.

The October 3, 1936 Indianapolis Recorder had this in the "Did You Know" column: "That Rogers Jones, 'Step' Wharton, and Bart Gardner are in Cleveland working a 'Nite' club and plan to go to the 'Big Burgh' [he means New York] to join Trevor Bacon late this fall." "Bart Gardner" should be "Bert Gardner", of the Hi-Hatters, and "Rogers Jones" should be "Roger Jones" (trumpet). James "Step" Wharton, singer and pianist, became relatively famous in the future; Roger Jones would end up with Don Redman and Tiny Bradshaw.

It turned out that Trevor's association with Hines didn't last long. The January 16, 1937 Pittsburgh Courier said: "Trevor Bacon is in Long Island with a five-piece combination presenting a floor show." Could they have included Jones, Wharton, and Gardner? I suppose so.

The Y.M.C.A. music school in Indianapolis bragged about its graduates in the September 18, 1937 Indianapolis Recorder. It said that Trevor was the soloist with Claude Hopkins' Orchestra. This is the only reference to Trevor being with Hopkins; it's possible that they meant Earl Hines, since it wouldn't be the first instance of that mix-up.

Or, maybe they meant Lucky Millinder. The October 23, 1937 Chicago Defender gave a list of the members of Millinder's band: Lucius "Lucky" Millinder (conductor), Bill Kyle (piano), Walter Johnson (drums), Danny Barker (guitar), John Williams (bass), Talmadge "Tab" Smith (first alto sax and clarinet), Ferdinand Williams (second alto sax and clarinet), Edward Williams (third alto sax and clarinet), Harold Arnold (tenor sax and clarinet), Carl Warwick (first trumpet), Harry "Sweets" Edison (second trumpet), Albert Andy Gibson (third and "hot" trumpet), Charlie Shavers (fourth trumpet), Ferdinand Abello (first trombone), Alfred Cobbs (second trombone), and Trevor Bacon (vocal soloist).

By April 20, 1938, the Millinder band was at the Ubangi Klub in Philadelphia. Trevor was singled out as vocalist: "Trevor Bacon, featured vocalist, gives his special arrangement of 'Marie'", said the April 26 Philadelphia Inquirer. They'd be there for at least three weeks.

The September 3 Pittsburgh Courier ran a photo of a young Trevor, with a short bio: "Trevor Bacon, born in Indianapolis, Ind. [which is just down the block from Kentucky], has been singing since 1934. He started with Earl Hines after he had presented himself for an audition at the Apollo Theater in New York. Lucky Millinder says he is one of the finest vocalists in the country." There was nothing at the time to back up the story about auditioning for Hines at the Apollo (and nothing that ever said he'd gone to New York before joining Hines).

On October 28, the Millinder band was at the Howard Theater in Washington, D.C. The band's female singer was identified as Grace Granger. From December 14-16, the band was at the Freeport Theater in Freeport, Long Island.

Certainly by 1939, the Millinder Orchestra had headquartered in New York, and that's where Trevor would live for the rest of his life (although his wife and son would remain in Indianapolis).

The Millinder band played Loew's State Theater in Manhattan the week of February 23, 1939. Also on the bill was Sally Gooding. The February 25 Chicago Defender said: "The dapper orchestra leader has prepared an entirely new musical presentation for his Broadway followers, using Miss Sally Gooding, Harlem night club favorite, and Trevor Bacon, golden-voiced tenor, for the vocal specialties."

A blurb in the July 1, 1939 Indianapolis Recorder: "Trevor Bacon, New York City vocalist in Lucky Millinder's orchestra, was the house guest of Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Bacon, Audrey [sic; poor Aubrey] Bacon, and sister, Mrs. Vada Malone, for four days. Left Saturday to join the band in Gary." So why didn't he stay with his wife, Nancy? The simple answer is that she was living with her father and sister, along with her son and her sister's three children, so there probably wasn't any room. As a more complicated answer, however, it's very strange that Nancy wasn't even mentioned. Were they even talking?

The August 19 Pittsburgh Courier had this: "Trevor Bacon, who used to manage Sally Cathrell's sepia theatrical magazine anent 'Show Down', is now traveling manager of the Lucky Millinder outfit. This is a jitterbug band. The band at present is doing Cincinnati." Boy do they need a better writer. "anent" means "concerning", but makes no sense in that sentence. As it tries to say (badly), "The Show Down" was the name of a magazine, headquartered in St. Louis, started in 1935 ["A Monthly Publication Giving The Low-Down On Theatricals"], whose editor was Sally J. Cathrell. Trevor Bacon was listed as its Circulation Manager (at least in 1935 and 1936). And, we now know that, besides being Millinder's male vocalist, he was also the band's road manager.

In spite of that, when they played the Apollo Theater, the week of September 1, 1939, his name wasn't in the ad, although he was mentioned in the write-up.

On March 22, 1940, Millinder's band was at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem, along with Snookum Russell's band and Al Cooper's Savoy Sultans (the house band at the Savoy). The March 23 Chicago Defender said: "Appearing with him as vocalist will be Trevor Bacon, who always pleases with his singing of the popular numbers."

In the April 1940 census, Trevor ("musician - orchestra") was living in New York, while Nancy and Trevor, Jr. were in Indianapolis, living with her mother and sister.

Leonard Feather (musician and jazz enthusiast) wrote about the Millinder band in the October 1, 1940 Down Beat. In the blurb, he named the current members of the band: Frank Galbraith (trumpet), William Scott (trumpet), Archie Johnson (trumpet), George Stephenson (trombone), Don Cole (trombone), Eli Robinson (trombone and arranger), Tab Smith (alto sax, tenor sax, and arranger), Billy Bowen (alto sax; in 1943, he'd replace Deek Watson in the Ink Spots), Ernest Purce (baritone and tenor saxes), Elmer "Skippy" Williams (tenor sax), Bill Doggett (piano and arranger), Trevor Bacon (guitar and ballad vocals), David "Panama" Francis (drums), and Abe Bolar (bass). The new female singer was Laurel Watson.

When Trevor registered for the draft on October 16, 1940 (Registration Day), he gave a Manhattan address (117 West 141 Street) and said he was born in Lafayette, Kentucky on November 2, 1906. For the "Name Of Person Who Will Always Know Your Address", he gave a friend named Tom Collins, not his wife. His employers were both Lucky Millinder and the Moe Gale Corporation.

The November 30, 1940 Indianapolis Recorder said of Trevor: "Topping the attraction [Sunset Terrace on Dec 2] which is sure to set a new dance record in Naptown, is our own Trevor Bacon, billed as the '1940 streamlined singin' thrush', who has been captivatin' dance audiences everywhere." That Sunset Terrace engagement was just for the one night. A strange nickname, since "thrush" is usually used for female singers.

Nothing exciting until June 27, 1941, when Trevor made his first Decca recording with Millinder ("Slide Mr. Trombone"). While he'd be guitarist on instrumentals, I'll only talk about (and list) the ones on which he sings. Note that this and all subsequent Decca recordings took place in New York.

The July 12 Pittsburgh Courier printed Billy Rowe's gossip column, in which this appeared: "Trevor Bacon, the delineator, and pretty Edna Graves are in a heart-to-heart groove." He followed that up on August 2 with this: "Edna Graves the waitress and Trevor Bacon the singer will tell it to a parson as soon as the little matter of a divorce is settled on the female side." I suppose no one told Rowe that Trevor was married too.

But that wasn't Trevor's biggest problem. In August, Decca released "Slide, Mr. Trombone". On the flip was "Rock, Daniel", with a vocal by Millinder's new female vocalist, Sister Rosetta Tharpe. From then on, the dynamic Rosetta would get more press coverage than Trevor ever did. It started with a review of the record in the September 1, 1941 Down Beat:

Rosetta Tharpe makes her debut as chortler with a jazz band on Lucky's Rock, Daniel. And it's a sensational bow for the Sister as she sings and shouts her way through the side, plucking an earthy guitar solo just for kicks. A swell combination, this, and more time together should bring even better results. Flipper side is a blues sung by Trevor Bacon titled Slide Mr. Trombone, but far below Tharpe's performance.

For a while, Trevor would become an afterthought in blurbs; Rosetta Tharpe would get most of the praise.

Also in August, the Millinder band recorded some Soundies: "Four Or Five Times", "Shout! Sister, Shout", "I Want A Big Fat Mama", and "That Lonesome Road". Trevor is guitarist and does the vocal on "Mama". The other vocals are by Rosetta Tharpe.

On September 5, 1941, Trevor would record "Big Fat Mama" with the band. Since there were no trade paper charts yet, it couldn't be called a national hit, but it did very well, as we'll see.

The week of September 26, the band was at the Apollo. The ad shows who the star was. Rosetta's name was only slightly smaller than Lucky's. Trevor's was the same size as "And A Big Cast".

Decca released "Big Fat Mama", backed with Rosetta's "Trouble In Mind", in October. They were reviewed in the November 15 Down Beat and the November 22 Billboard:

DB: Sister Rosetta shouts a rough but uncompromising song on Richard Jones' Trouble In Mind, a blues which Tharpe handles well. Millinder's band is an excellent accompanying group, moreover. Reverse is all Millinder's band with Trevor Bacon singing Big Fat Mama, a jumper composed by Lucky and his tenor man, Stafford Simon. Recommended, on Decca 4041.

BB: The race blues becomes righteous in the jump rhythms of Millinder. The corpulent mater ["fat mama"] music, taken at a moderate tempo and the horns heated hot, has Trevor Bacon chanting the characteristic Harlem humor. Platter companion is the wearying race blues with (Sister) Rosetta Tharpe's dusky thrushing about her troublesome mind. Sister Tharpe showcases the side and there's some standout blues picking on that guitar to back her low-down lullabying. Operators of the race locations will have to [unreadable] this platter, both sides most suitable for such phono placements.

On November 6, before those reviews had appeared, Trevor had recorded two more tunes: "Let Me Off Uptown" and "Hey Huss!".

In December, Decca released "Let Me Off Uptown", backed with the instrumental "How About That Mess".


And now, "Big Fat Mama" gets its nationwide play. The headline in the December 13, 1941 Chicago Defender said: "Girls, If You Are Heavy The Apollo Will Admit You Free". The article read:

For decades glamour girls have been honored and publicized but now their popularity is threatened as the result of ork leader Lucky revealing this week that when he moves into the Apollo theatre Friday for a week's stand he will pay homage to the "little ladies" hitting the scale at 200 and above by dedicating a "Big Fat Mama" week to them. [I'm sure the writer meant to throw in some commas.]

As a fitting climax Lucky has said that a $50 prize will be given away next Thursday on the stage of the Apollo to the most versatile "mama". During the entire week of his stay at the Apollo all women weighing over 250 will be admitted to the theatre as the guests of Lucky, gratis.

Considering that, only a week before, Japan had attacked Pearl Harbor, that piece of idiocy went on. In spite of Trevor singing the song with the band, his name wasn't in the Apollo ad for the week of December 12, 1941 (but Rosetta's was).

In January 1942, Decca released "Hey Huss!", backed with "Ride, Red, Ride" (which had a vocal by Lucky).

The January 10 Evansville Argus, in mentioning "Let Me Off Uptown", informed us that Trevor Bacon came from St. Louis. Ah, well.

Another weighty item in the January 31 Billboard (talking about "Big Fat Mama"):

A hot swing number, it has been exploited plenty in cities where the Millinder band has made theater appearances. Such a tie-up was made here [Philadelphia]. A contest was held to pick the heaviest woman in town. Disk is doing a job for the operators, and should prove an okay item in other cities, especially where there are a lot of Negro locations.

On February 18, 1942, Trevor recorded two war songs, "Fightin' Doug McArthur" and "We're Gonna Have To Slap The Dirty Little Jap (And Uncle Sam's The Guy Who Can Do It)", as well as "Savoy", a tribute to the Savoy Ballroom.

The band was at the Macon Auditorium on March 23, 1942. Write-ups started referring to Lucky Millinder as the "Dynamaestro". The March 1 Macon Telegraph, in talking about the upcoming show, said "Co-starring with Sister Rosetta, will be Trevor Bacon, guitar and vocalist of the first magnitude." And: "Lucky Millinder and his orchestra who are embarking from the famous Savoy Ballroom in New York's Harlem, from where they have been heard thrice weekly over the NBC coast-to-coast network." [That's a complete sentence; grammarians need not write.]

The March 15 Macon Telegraph named the band members. I was surprised at how many of the October 1940 crew were still there: William Scott (trumpet), Archie Johnson (trumpet), George Stephenson (trombone), Don Cole (trombone), Eli Robinson (trombone), Tab Smith (sax), Bill Doggett (piano), Trevor Bacon (guitar and vocals), David "Panama" Francis (drums), and Abe Bolar (bass). Gone were Frank Galbraith (trumpet; replaced by Thomas Stevenson), and three saxophonists: Billy Bowen, Ernest Purce, and Elmer "Skippy" Williams. Unless they left out some names, I'm not sure why there was only a single sax player still there.

Also in March, Decca issued a double-sided patriotic disc with Trevor on both sides: "Fightin' Doug McArthur" and "We're Gonna Have To Slap The Dirty Little Jap".


When they played the Cumberland Arena (Bristol, Tennessee) on March 26, the ad had Trevor's name in the same size type as Rosetta's. In the ad for the April 11 show at the Sunset Terrace (Indianapolis), his name was actually larger. The April 17 Dreamland Ballroom (Little Rock, Arkansas) ad had them the same size again.

In May, Decca issued "Savoy", with Rosetta's "Rock Me" as the flip. They were reviewed in the May 30, 1942 Billboard:

The Savoy Ballroom up New York's Harlem way has already been endeared in jiverie with the Stompin' opus of an earlier year. [A reference to the mid-1930s song, "Stompin' At The Savoy", recorded by Benny Goodman, Ozzie Nelson, Chick Webb, and the Ink Spots.] The A side is now another using that jitterbug palace as a well of inspiration. This one by maestros Lucky and Bill Doggett, is the average run of riff tune in fast-jump tempo. Band bears down heavy for the opening and closing choruses. Filling in is the singing of Trevor and a chorus [band members] split between a hot trumpet and piano tinkles. Band takes to the background for the platter mate, and it's Sister Rosetta Tharpe for the rock-and-roll [interesting phrase, I'll have to remember it] spiritual singing. Guitar introduces the spiritual and Miss Tharpe's vocal preachments fill the side. It's the second turn on wax for Rock Me, Miss Tharpe having cut it before for the label while still a single. On the strength of its title, "Savoy" should show some strength at the race locations. "Rock Me" is a typical race side and, where her other swing spirituals counted for coinage, this side should count for even more.

The band appeared at Graystone Gardens, in Detroit, on May 25. The odd wording in the ad had, as a title, "I Want A Big Fat Mama - Yes!" And: "Hear ROSETTA GUITAR - See SLIDE MR. TROMBONE In Person - Hear TREVOR BACON Sing The Hit Songs"

Moe Gale's Gale Agency managed, among others, the Ink Spots and Lucky Millinder. Now, in June 1942, he began booking them together. On June 19-21, they appeared at the State theater in Hartford. This time, Tharpe's name was actually larger than Millinder's, with Bacon's in tiny print.

On July 29, 1942, Trevor recorded two more tunes for Decca: "When The Lights Go On Again (All Over The World)" and "Are You Ready".

The August 15 Billboard had a review of the band's performance, broadcast from the Savoy Ballroom on August 2:

Millinder's band sounds better than ever, thanks to the acquisition of such solo stars as Tab Smith (alto) and Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet), both of whom get deserved billing on the air. Since Sister Rosetta Tharpe is still present with her absolutely amazing jive spirituals, the Millinder entertainment quotient remains at stratospheric height. When it comes to musicianship and showmanship, therefore, Mr. Millinder is in very good shape indeed.

This particular program was dragged down just a bit by a couple of tiresome riff tunes, but rescued, revived and given a terrific hypo by a swing classic, a Tharpe vocal and the work of Smith and Gillespie. Trevor Bacon, the Millinder balladeer, has improved greatly, and so has the arranging staff, which provided some eminently commercial material for this program. The maestro's sole failing, as far as can be discerned from this one listening, is his insistence on using those riff numbers - swell for Savoy dancers, but a bore for the rest of us.

That last sentence really wasn't fair. The show was broadcast from the Savoy Ballroom, to which people came to dance.

Millinder and the Ink Spots appeared at the Apollo Theater the week of September 4, 1942.


In September, Decca issued "When The Lights Go On Again", coupled with "That's All", with a vocal by Rosetta Tharpe. They were reviewed in the October 10 Billboard:

It's all on the B side for this coupling, That's All bringing the swing-shouting of Rosetta Tharpe. Her own tune fashioning, it's a typical Sister Tharpe swing hymn in a righteous jazz setting. Getting it off at a lively beat, entire spinning is devoted to Sister's blues pickings on the guitar and her hosanna singing, exhorting the listeners to get religion. Lights Go On Again is a post-war ballad that has been making a stand for some time, stamped with mediocrity both in words and music. Nor does Lucky Millinder dress it up in any particular style to give it an attractive hue. Plays it smoothly enough as a slow ballad, Trevor Bacon giving voice to the starting chorus and the band bringing up a second.

At locations, especially the race spots, where Rosetta Tharpe manifests a strong following with her singing, "That's All" is the side.

And how wrong they were. It was Trevor's "When The Lights Go On Again" that was the hit side, staying on the national charts for 17 weeks and topping off at #1.

They were at the Brooklyn Fox Theater the week starting September 18, 1942. This seems to be the point where a full-blown Moe Gale tour began. The Millinder band, the Ink Spots, Peg-Leg Bates (one-legged dancer), and the singing, dancing, comedic act of Gordon & Rogers would all appear together through June 1943.

The October 16, 1942 show at the Colonial Theater (Dayton, Ohio) was reviewed in the October 24 Billboard:

An all-sepia show, headed by the Four Ink Spots and including Lucky Millinder's band, is packed with dynamite. Six shows, unprecedented here, were announced for Saturday and Sunday.

It's a whopper of a show thruout, and when the Ink Spots appear it looks tough for them to top what has gone before, but they manage to do it and leave the audience begging for more. Opening with Shout, Brother, Shout, they swing into Every Night About This Time which, with This Is Worth Fighting For, constitute about the only calm spots on the program. Noteworthy in the two numbers is the solo work of Billy Kenny, baritone [?!?!]. They close, of course, with the song that rocketed them to fame, If I Didn't Care.

Lucky Millinder's band is joy unrestrained for the hep cats. Open with Little John Special and in the course of their program play Savoy, done with plenty of horseplay, and Rustle Of Spring, in which they swing the classics.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe, accompanying herself on the guitar, baptizes the souls of her hearers in rhythm-shouting That's All, Rock Me and I Want A Tall, Skinny Papa. Trevor Bacon also takes care of some of the vocals, featuring When The Lights Go On Again.

Decca issued Trevor's "Are You Ready" in November. It was backed with "Apollo Jump", an instrumental. They were reviewed in the February 15, 1943 Down Beat:

Jump is amongst the worst of the records that Lucky has done. Heavy, and built on pretty common phrasings, it fails by a wide margin. Ready, much the same tempo, has a Trevor bacon vocal, and a two-four beat that fits much better.

Starting on December 4, 1942, the company was at Fays in Philadelphia (spelled with an apostrophe in reviews, but never in ads). Don't forget: you can "come as late as 12 midnight and see a complete stage & screen show".

Trevor got to shine when the band was on the Ralph Cooper Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer radio show on December 22. Rosetta Tharpe had a cold and couldn't appear, but Trevor got to sing "Big Fat Mama" and "When The Lights Go On Again". The troupe was at Detroit's Michigan Theater for New Year's Eve.

Right after that, when they played the Chicago Theater (strangely, in Chicago), the Ink Spots were down to a trio, as Deek Watson was out with pneumonia.

Lucky Millinder didn't play any instrument, but managed to have fun while leading the band. This is from the review of that show in the January 16, 1943 Billboard: "The Millinder band, not as well known here as in the East due to its infrequent appearances in this area, has flash and speed, fronted by the performing maestro who doesn't know what it means to stay put. He jumps up and down on his domino-shaped rostrum, leaps on the piano, struts all over the stage, and otherwise sets the pace which his band keeps up musically." And: "The tunes the outfit dishes out are of the jump variety, spaced suitably between acts. Of the musicians spotted individually are Trevor Bacon, tenor, and Tab Smith, saxophonist, who pair up in When The Lights Go On Again, the only slow one indulged in by the Millinder crew."

Here's part of the Gale tour itinerary for 1943: After the Chicago Theater, it was the Orpheum (Minneapolis) the week of January 22; the Orpheum (Omaha) the week of January 29; the Paramount Theater (Des Moines) for six days, starting February 5; the Orpheum (Madison, Wisconsin) on February 11 (one day); the Regal (Chicago) the week of February 12; the Paradise (Detroit) the week of February 19; the Buffalo Theater (Buffalo, NY) the week of February 26; the Circle Theater (Indianapolis) the week of March 19; the Worth Theater (Fort Worth) the week of April 9; the Macon Auditorium (Macon, Georgia) on May 12 (one day); the Municipal Auditorium (Atlanta) on May 13 (one day); the Coliseum (Evansville, Indiana) on June 4 (one day); the Sunset Terrace (Indianapolis) on June 5 (one day); the Graystone Ballroom in (Detroit) the week of June 7. Laurel Gardens (Newark, NJ) on June 16, for a dance engagement sponsored by the Lincoln Civic Association, Inc. The last show I can find is on June 20, 1943, at the War Memorial Building in Holyoke, MA (with two of the four Ink Spots out sick).

But the tour didn't end calmly. Naturally there are conflicting reports, but the gist of it is that a woman companion of the Ink Spots' Hoppy Jones stabbed Lucky Millinder in the leg in Durham, North Carolina. There was an argument about room accommodations for "other members of the band". The Ink Spots initiated the argument, but nothing said what band members they were talking about. Here are the reports:

[Lucky] was Monday night [June 21] in a serious condition. The injury struck an artery in the right leg. (Michigan Chronicle, June 26, 1943)

Lucky Millinder, his right leg heavily bandaged, limped around Seventh Ave. [this was a column about Harlem doings], accepting sympathetic comment with the proper expression on his face for the knife attack down in Durham, N.C., in which a woman stabbed him several times in the leg, nearly severing an artery.... He had an armful of affidavits on the stabbing episode which is said to involve a woman companion of "Hoppy" Jones, one of the three Ink Spots traveling with the Millinder unit, and plans to sue somebody and "get me some satisfaction or money" . . . Meanwhile, the Moe Gale outfit which manages Lucky as well as the Ink Spots is trying to quiet down the whole thing. (The Oklahoma City Black Dispatch, July 10)

Lucky Millinder, who was stabbed slightly in Durham, N.C. by one of the girls who were traveling with the troupe is up and about and will positively appear in Omaha Tuesday, June 29th when the band plays the Dreamland. (Omaha Star, June 25, 1943) [They were right; the band appeared at Dreamland on the 29th. But by then the Ink Spots were gone. The write-up in the July 2 Omaha Star said "Lucky was his old self despite a recent injury and strutted up and down the bandstand in his flashy red tails...."]

That last Omaha Star article concluded with "The band left the following morning for Los Angeles to go on location at the Casa Manana Ball Room for six weeks." On the way, the band played the 702 Club in Reno, Nevada on July 4 ("3 P.M. Until Train Time").

They opened at the Casa Manana on July 7; they were still there on August 28, before heading to Northern California.

While in Los Angeles, they made some recordings that ended up on AFRS Jubilee discs. These non-commercial records were played over Armed Forces Radio and shipped to soldiers overseas. There were three sessions in July 1943 (exact dates unknown), with Trevor being on all of them. The only July vocal I know about was "Are You Ready"; on all others, he was the guitarist. See the discography.

There was one further AFRS session in August, on which Trevor sang "Big Fat Mama". The important thing here is that between the July and August recordings, Rosetta Tharpe had left the band (by July 29, she was appearing on her own). Keep in mind that, once the sequences were recorded, they could be released in any order. The final AFRS disc has Rosetta, while the one before doesn't.

There was a big article in the September 4, 1943 Billboard, titled "Millinder Fights To Hold Tharpe":

Asserting that his contract with Sister Rosetta Tharpe was as "good as gold" and would "stand up in any court in the world", Lucky Millinder this week told The Billboard that Miss Tharpe would soon return to the Millinder orchestra as its featured vocalist.

Miss Tharpe walked off the Casa Manana bandstand suddenly last week and a few nights later opened as a single at the Streets Of Paris Club in Hollywood, backed by Jimmy Noone's band.

Millinder, left holding the bag at the Casa Manana, where he broadcasts nightly over KHJ-Mutual [Network], declared La Tharpe's move was in violation of her contract with him and the Moe Gale Agency, which books Millinder. The final blow-up between Millinder and his blues-shouting chanteuse climaxed a series of arguments between the two. Millinder said he had informed James C. Petrillo [president of the musicians' union] by telegram that Miss Tharpe was violating her contract and that Petrillo's office wired the singer warning her not to continue as a single until the contract was studied by the American Federation Of Musicians. Millinder, who closes at the Casa tomorrow night (29) to play one-nighters and theaters, was emphatic in declaring Miss Tharpe would soon rejoin the band. "She can't work any place else", he concluded.

But Millinder was wrong. Rosetta not only never returned, but kept working as a single. Forced to replace her, he hired Judy Carol, who was on that August AFRS session at which Trevor did "Big Fat Mama". Note that while you'll see her name spelled in various ways, there was one blurb that said: "Miss Carol - that last name is spelled with one 'r' and one 'l', if you please". However, since Judy Carol was no Rosetta Tharpe, at this point, Trevor started getting more press. Judy Carol had a really nice voice, but didn't exhibit the dynamism that Rosetta Tharpe brought to recordings.

On October 19, 1943, Trevor recorded "Sweet Slumber" with the Millinder band. Then, they headed up to Detroit, where they appeared at the Paradise Theater the week of October 22. If you've noticed that it's been over a year since they last recorded for Decca (July 29, 1942), the first "Petrillo Ban" had been in effect, forbidding union musicians from recording. Finally, it was over and Decca got back to recording its acts.

Decca released "Sweet Slumber" in November, with Judy Carol's "Don't Cry Baby" on the flip. They were reviewed in the November 27, 1943 issue of Billboard.

For his first waxing since the disk ban was lifted at Decca, Lucky Millinder scores a bellringer in bringing forth Don't Cry, Baby. A blues ballad written by Jimmy Mitchelle and Sammy Lowe, vocalist and trombonist, respectively, with Erskine Hawkins, it was the latter who kept building interest in the song with his originating record since last year. And now with Millinder giving the race hit a tip-top send-off on the spinning, it means added interest in the song. Beating it off at a moderately slow tempo, the solo sax blows it downright blue for the opening eight bars of the chorus to identify the theme, with Judy Carol, who has taken the canary chores over from Rosetta Tharpe, applying that delta touch to the ditty. Maintaining the torrid tone of the side, muted trumpet gets a second stanza under way, joined by the sock band ensemble to complete a half chorus, with Miss Carol taking over for the last half to take out the side. Plattermate has the band subduing for forthright ballad interpretation on Sweet Slumber, for which Millinder, Al Neiburg and Henri Woode collaborated.

A smooth ballad and gearing his gang to the sweet set, a simple piano introduction in the moderately slow tempo brings on the solo alto to start off the chorus, joined by the other saxes to make it a half chorus. And for the rest of the side it's the effortless and effective bary warbling of Trevor Bacon, polishing off the side with a neat trumpet and vocal coda.

Already going great guns at the race locations, with the song a major hit among such sets, music operators are sure to attract even greater coinage for "Don't Cry, Baby," now that Lucky Millinder's side has come along to stimulate the interest and vic [probably means RCA Victor] with Erskine Hawkins' first entry for phono honors.

The December 1 Down Beat chimed in with:

Without Sister Tharpe, this is just another colored jump band. This time, the boys are not even allowed to jump! The result is a rather uninspired pair of platters, Don't Cry Baby and Sweet Slumber. Judy Carol, scarcely a happy replacement of riotous Rosetta, does her best on the former, while Trevor gets the nod on the latter.

In comparison with Millinder's, Erskine Hawkins' version of Don't Cry sounds like a classic. With better material, this band might do better.

Guess what? Down Beat was wrong again. "Sweet Slumber" was another #1 song for the Millinder band, remaining on the charts for 19 weeks.

The week of January 7, the band was at Fays Theater in Philadelphia. On January 17, 1944, they were at Skateland, in Richmond, Virginia. The ad has Trevor singing "Sweet Slumber" and Judy doing "Don't Cry Baby".

Sometimes, a paper prints a penetrating article that relieves me of the necessity of doing further research. This was in the January 29, 1944 New York Age: "Trevor Bacon's wife wants me to get a glimpse of the romantic singer's scrapbook. I promised that I would. He's a chap that will go over the top in '44." Need I continue???

The February 1 Macon News had this about Trevor (as usual, presented as written):

Trevor Bacon, considered the hottest dresser among musicians, a handsome fellow too, who plays the guitar and sings with the Lucky Millinder's outfit, will hold the spotlight for entertainment, when Lucky, his orchestra and entertainers appear here, February 9, at Macon auditorium for a concert and dance.

Yes, as they all say, Bacon's in there. But vocally, Bacon comes on, and there you have the number one singer with the band.

Bacon is a modest person. He loathes interviews and always credits his leader, Lucky Millinder, with being the sole person responsible for the success of this great musical aggregation. Bacon is noted to give his all to every note. Having recently recorded "Sweet Slumber," he attributes its popularity to Lucky; whose smooth conduction of the band always has been the keynote for a song's success. Other numbers skyrocketed by Trevor Bacon were "Slide Mr. Trombone" and "Stardust." Considered a dapper don, Bacon is keen. Bacon and Judy Carol are a pair of good-lookers and Lucky has been blessed with talent and sauvo [sic] when you take his singers apart to see what makes them tick. [Since "Sauvo" is a municipality of Finland, I'm reasonably certain they meant something else, "suavité", for example.]

The coming of this stella [sic] attraction is to be the pre-Spring's tops, says middle Georgia's foremost promoter, "Clint" Brantley.

They were at Dreamland Hall in Omaha on March 7, and the Paradise Theater in Detroit the week of March 10 (along with the Loumell Morgan Trio). On March 31, it was the Sunset Terrace in Indianapolis for a single night.

Here's something personal about Trevor I bet you didn't know. It's from the syndicated Ted Yates column, as printed in the March 11, 1944 New York Age. Fortunately, you know how accurate it is by the column heading: "Consider The Source":

Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, dapper Trevor Bacon, who plays the guitar and sings tenor with the celebrated Lucky Millinder Orchestra (that is currently whamming on a X-country tour), next month will begin his eighth year with the musical aggregation. Recently Ted (that's his nickname you know) penned us a letter telling of his one ambition. Believe it or not, the man with the accurate "Sweet Slumber" voice, desires to enter into the haberdashery business - in Jacksonville, Florida.

Sometimes, I'm simply at a loss for words. This time, you'll have to make up your own snide remarks.

And then, Trevor was gone from the Millinder crew. The May 6, 1944 Billboard told how Lucky had just hired Wynonie Harris:

Lucky Millinder and his vocalist, Trevor Bacon, have parted after an eight-year association. Millinder believes that the blues are due for a comeback and his new singer, Wynonie Harris, fills the bill.

Harris is a young fellow the leader picked up in Chicago during his last tour. Before his current stint at the Savoy Ballroom, Harris had not sung professionally. [So, we should forget the appearance of "Wynonie Harris And His Rhythm Rascals" as far back as March 1938?]

Thrush Judy Carol will share singing honors with Harris, who will be billed as Wynonie (Mr. Blues) Harris.

Millinder is looking around for an alto sax man to replace Tab Smith, who is leaving the band to form his own aggregation. Smith, with Millinder for several months [he was an on-again, off-again member for years], plans to play [Greenwich] village spots during the summer with a trio, two rhythm instruments and his sax.

Next fall, T.S. intends to add three or four to the group. He will stay with Millinder until the leader finds a replacement. Lucky is holding out for a discharged serviceman and said this week he plans to fill any vacancies in his ork, if possible, with men who've had a session with Uncle Sam.

That was amplified by this in the May 13 Indianapolis Recorder:

Lucky Millinder, the ork leader, announced last week that he has dropped (but definitely) Trevor Bacon as guitar-vocalist with his band. The pair have been feuding for some time and it's just as well. On the other hand, rumor has it that Trevor is teaming up with [trumpeter] Taft Jordan to assemble a small band along the John Kirby line.

After the above, this still appeared in the May 19, 1944 Dayton Forum. The title was "Millinder Brings Home The Bacon And His Name Is Trevor":

Trevor Bacon has been through the financial peaks and valleys with Lucky Millinder, his friend and boss. It's more than seven years since Trevor, a shy youngster, joined Millinder's music crew. Today Millinder has really brought home the Bacon, both for himself and Trevor! Few vocalists have clicked with such a consistent list of recording hits. Trevor has to his credit such Decca recording classics as "Slide Mr. Trombone", "You Go To My Head", "Sweet Slumber", "Big Fat Mama", "When the Lights Go On Again All Over the World", "Shipyard Social Function" [an instrumental on which Trevor was guitarist] and dozens of others.

In case the girls would like to know the exact statistics, Trevor is single [no, he's married, to an unknown extent at this point], an excellent dresser, goodlooking and suave. He's tall [only 5' 8" per his draft registration], slim, lazy and romantic, a fiend around a jukebox, and a terrific dancer - if the girl can talk him into expending energy in tripping the light fantastic.

He was born in Indianapolis [just down the block from Kentucky, I guess] almost twenty-eight years ago [he was nearly 38] and the boys in the band affectionately call him "Red" [a prior blurb gave his nickname as "Ted"]. Ella Fitzgerald considers him the greatest of the male vocalists because "that man puts his heart and soul into every song".

His guitar isn't the only thing he's always picking on, He's a critical cuss who's always picking on his boss, Lucky Millinder. He lends the correct conservative touch to Lucius' mad but brilliant ideas. Together they make a musical team difficult to match.

If you ever take a sight-seeing bus through New York's teeming Harlem, the chances are excellent that you'll catch sight of Trevor - because there's bound to be about a hundred or more kids at his heels. Trevor will be wearing a semi-loud sport-jacket, grinning broadly, and tossing nickels and pennies to his admiring juvenile throng. That's Trevor's way of spending a Sunday afternoon pleasantly. And maybe there's a lot in it!

Bacon comes of his guitaring ability naturally. His folks were musical prodigies during their own youth [nothing ever said that before], but went for classical music. When Trevor first professed a love for the guitar they were amazed and a little ashamed. To the legitimate music lovers a guitar is a lowly instrument. But as used by the trained hands of Trevor, the guitar can produce chords as lovely, and intricate as any violin, cello or harp. Because he couldn't practice at home, Terror tramped the backyards of the surrounding neighborhoods, and not only got his experience, he made a profitable week's pay. With the money he earned Trevor paid a professional music teacher, studied religiously and doubled at a vocal studio. Young Bacon has earned his success. [This reeks of press agent inventiveness.]

By this time, Tab Smith had formed his own combo, with Trevor as the vocalist and guitarist. The June 1, 1944 Down Beat, in saying that they'd opened at the Elks' Playhouse in Harlem, named the members: Tab Smith (alto sax), Trevor Bacon (guitar and vocals), Frank "Fat Man" Humphries (trumpet), Mike Hedley (sax), Ray Tunia (piano), Walter Johnson (drums), and Al McKibbon (bass). All of them had, at some point, been with Millinder. One blurb later on said that Trevor and Tab Smith owned the band jointly.

It took them no time at all to get a Decca recording session. On May 10, 1944 they recorded four songs with Trevor's vocals: "I'll Live True To You", "You Lovely You", "All Night Long", and "Brown Skin Blues".

They seem to have opened at the Elks Rendezvous on May 27; they'd still be there in mid-November.

On July 4, they were at a War Bond Rally to raise funds to finance the Liberty Ship "Bert Williams" (one of the earliest famous Black entertainers). The Mills Brothers were there, as were the Berry Brothers, Mildred Bailey, Hazel Scott, Ida James, Canada Lee, Josh White, Louis Prima, Jan Peerce, and the Peter Rabbit Trio. It was held at Lewisohn Stadium, on the grounds of Manhattan's City College (where, when dinosaurs still roamed, I passed four years of my Misspent Youth).

The July 22, 1944 Billboard had a review of the Lucky Millinder show at Town Hall in Philadelphia. It didn't give a date for the performance reviewed, but it ended with this strange sentence: "Trevor Bacon, band's romantic troubadour, was on the stand when caught, but turned in no chirping." [Translation: he was one of the musicians, but didn't sing.] Since Trevor had been gone since late April, I have no explanation for this.

In October, Decca issued "I'll Live True To You", backed with "You Lovely You". They were reviewed in the November 15 Down Beat, but I can't tell if they liked it or not:

Trevor Bacon handles both vocal assignments, and Tab noodles occasionally on his alto. True To You is slow, oh so slow, and may melt in the mouths of some of you!

But the public liked it. It became Trevor's third national hit, although nowhere near as big as the prior two. It was on the charts for only one week, at #7.

The November 25 Pittsburgh Courier had this: "With the success of their first recording, 'You Lovely You', which has just hit the country's jukeboxes, [unreadable] added incentive, Tab Smith and his grand little band, featuring Trevor Bacon, have a recording session set for this week."

Presumably, they're talking about a session for Manor Records, held at an unknown date. It produced "I Was Wrong" and "Rosa Lee", both with Trevor's vocals. When they were released in December 1944, on Manor's Regis subsidiary, the label credited the "Rendezvous Sextet, Featuring Tab Smith And Trevor Bacon". Strangely, a December Regis ad had the credit as "Ralph Cooper & Orchestra, featuring Tab Smith and Trevor Bacon". Ralph Cooper's name wasn't on the label, nor was there any hint that he'd had anything to do with the session (although a photo of the Tab Smith Orchestra names Ralph Cooper as their manager). Cooper, an actor, is credited with starting the Apollo Theater's Amateur Night in 1935.

But, on December 6, 1944, there was another Tab Smith Decca session, at which they recorded: "I've Been Good To You", "Loving You Just The Same", "It's All Over But The Shouting", and "Sorry About The Whole Affair". It's possible that they decided to record for Manor before completely fulfilling their Decca contract and Decca made them do one more session. Since Ray Tunia was now with the Ink Spots, I don't know who the pianist is on this session.

More gossip. Ted Yates' syndicated column of December 8 said: "The Trevor Bacons (he's Lucky Millinder's ex-vocalist) have frigideared." That is, they were being cold to each other. He'd been in New York for several years and she was in Indianapolis, so it couldn't have been much of a marriage. But they were never divorced as far as I can tell.

Here's one from the January 13, 1945 Michigan Chronicle:

Trevor Bacon (who hasn't got enough blood to give a transfusion to a gnat) was put in 1-A the other day, and he's as fidgety as a gal driving through traffic and trying to adjust her girdle at the same time. [1-A was the draft classification that was most likely to get you into the Army.]

The January 15 Down Beat told us that Tab's combo was ready to open at the Three Deuces, a club on Manhattan's 52nd Street. However, there were no Three Deuces ads, so I don't know when they started. By January 31, pianist Dorothy Donegan was there.

There was another Manor session at an unknown date in 1945. I'll put it here, simply because the Smith band was in New York at the time. The four songs were: "The Things You Are" (but Trevor never says that, only "all these things I'd do for you"), "Tab Steps Out" (instrumental), "Don't Blame Me" (instrumental), and "Once In A While". Again, there's an unknown pianist.

By January 20, they were appearing at the Cafe De Society in Chicago. They were there for at least a month. I'm not sure how this fits in with the Three Deuces engagement.

When all the votes were counted in the Chicago Defender's 1945 Band Poll, Tab Smith had won in the Small Bands category and Trevor had come in third in the Vocalists category (behind Lena Horne and Ella Fitzgerald).

The members of Tab Smith's combo in March 1945 were: Mike Hedley (sax), Ray Tunia (piano), Al McKibbon (bass), Walter Johnson (drums), Tab Smith (alto sax), and Trevor Bacon (guitar and vocals). Hedley, Tunia, McKibbon, and Johnson were holdovers from the original formation of the group. Gone was trumpeter Frank "Fat Man" Humphries, who had certainly left by December 1944. However, Ray Tunia couldn't have been there. He had become the Ink Spots pianist in October 1944 and was still with them through mid-1946, when he left to become Ella Fitzgerald's accompanist.

The combo opened at the Paradise Theater in Detroit on March 9. The Paradise ad named the members, including "Mike Hedlay" and "Al McKibbins".

April 3 found them at the Drillroom Armory in Danville, Virginia.


A big article in the April 15 Macon News announced "Trevor Bacon, Ralph Cooper, Tab Smith Orchestra Coming [to the Macon Auditorium] April 17". Ralph Cooper was an actor, as well as their manager, but I'm not sure what he had to do with it all; he probably acted as the Master Of Ceremonies. However, it wasn't to be.

Back when talking about 1924, I said "As far as newspapers are concerned, Trevor Bacon both began and ended his life automotively." On April 14, 1945, a day before that Macon News article ran, Trevor died, in an auto accident, near Sumter, South Carolina.

The band was traveling from Charleston, South Carolina to a one-nighter in Nashville, when Trevor's car collided with another. Trevor was thrown clear and his head struck the pavement, killing him. (Naturally, reports conflict. Some said he was unconscious when taken from the car and later died at the hospital.) Others in the car were injured, but not seriously. "Duke" (possibly John H. Brown, Trevor's valet) was the regular driver, but it was Trevor who was behind the wheel at the time, probably allowing Duke to get some sleep. Also in the car was Walter Cooper, the band's business manager, drummer Walter Johnson, and saxist Mike Hedley. Tab Smith, and the remainder of the band, were in another car, which wasn't involved.

The obituary in the April 18, 1945 Indianapolis News listed his surviving family as "the widow, Mrs. Nancy Bacon, one son Trevor Bacon, Jr., two brothers, Malcolm and Aubrey Bacon, one sister, Mrs. Vada Malone, Indianapolis."

The April 21 Pittsburgh Courier said:

Formerly the male vocalist with Lucky Millinder and his aggregation, Trevor had within the past year separated from Millinder to team with Tab Smith and form an orchestra of their own. In this undertaking they shared fifty-fifty and were equal partners in a seven-piece group which was fast making a name for itself in musical circles.

Since that blurb called them a "seven-piece group" and another account said there were five musicians in addition to Smith and Bacon, they must have added someone after the names were printed in March. They did: trumpeter Frank Humphries had returned. Whoever Ray Tunia's replacement at piano was, he wasn't named.

After Trevor died, Indianapolis papers kept printing dumb gossip column articles about his son, Trevor, Jr. By 1965, Jr. was one of the owners of the Galaxy Ballroom in Indianapolis.

Way back in May 19, 1944, a ridiculous biography appeared in the Dayton Forum (which I transcribed above: "Millinder Brings Home The Bacon And His Name Is Trevor"). For reasons I can't begin to fathom, the exact same column was reprinted in the August 25, 1945 Omaha Guide, over a year after he'd left Millinder and four months after he'd died. I confirmed the newspaper's date.

In July 1945, Manor reissued "I Was Wrong" and "Rosa Lee", this time on the parent label. It was credited to "Tab Smith & His Orchestra - Vocal Trevor Bacon".


In October 1945, Regis released "The Things You Are", backed with the instrumental "Tab Steps Out" (on which Trevor was guitarist).

1947 would have been a big year for Trevor, since Decca released several of his recordings:

With Tab Smith (first issue):
Loving You Just The Same / Brown Skin Blues - July 1947

With Lucky Millinder (reissue):
Big Fat Mama / [Trouble In Mind - vocal by Rosetta Tharpe] - October 1947
The November 29 Billboard review: "It's a nice bounce beat for Big Fat Mama, with Trevor Bacon and the band boys giving spirited song to the Harlem jive lyric. However, the ditty and the dressing are quite faded at this late date."

With Tab Smith (reissues):
I'll Live True To You / You Lovely You - ca. November 1947
The December 20 Cash Box review: "Shuffle beat coupled with some heavy tonsil work make this piece by the Tab Smith ork shine as an item for the race spots. Vocal by Trevor Bacon is effective while the toned weaving of Smith's boys make mellow music. I'll Live True To You grabs the glory, while the flip You Lovely You shows with a band chorus in spots. For the dance and finer spots.

With Lucky Millinder (reissues):
Savoy / [Rock Me - vocal by Rosetta Tharpe] - ca. November 1947

In addition, Manor issued the Tab Smith sides: "Once In A While" and "Don't Blame Me" (an instrumental with Trevor on guitar) in November 1947.

Around March 1948, Decca reissued "Sweet Slumber" (with Millinder), backed with Wynonie Harris' "Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well".

The last Trevor Bacon release came in March 1949, when Decca reached into its vaults and pulled out two previously-unissued Tab Smith masters: "All Night Long" and "I'm Sorry About The Whole Affair". Released on their Coral subsidiary, they were reviewed in the April 16 Billboard:

I'm Sorry About The Whole Affair (71): Easily warbled ballad job could nab some juke nickels.

All Night Long (70): Relaxed blues vocal with okay small combo backing, featuring easy-ride trumpet and alto obbligatos.

Trevor Bacon had a really nice voice. It's a pity it was stilled so soon.

DECCA (Lucky Millinder Orchestra)
3956 Slide, Mr. Trombone / [Rock, Daniel - voc Rosetta Tharpe] - 8/41
4041 Big Fat Mama / [Trouble In Mind - voc Rosetta Tharpe] - 10/41
4099 Let Me Off Uptown / [How About That Mess (I)] - 12/41
4146 Hey Huss! / [Ride, Red, Ride - voc Lucky Millinder] - ca 1/42
4261 Fightin' Doug McArthur / We're Gonna Have To Slap The Dirty Little Jap - 3/42
18353 Savoy / [Rock Me - voc Rosetta Tharpe] - 5/42
18496 When The Lights Go On Again / [That's All - voc Rosetta Tharpe] - 9/42
18529 Are You Ready / [Apollo Jump (I)] - ca 11/42
18569 Sweet Slumber / [Don't Cry Baby - voc Judy Carol] - 11/43
48053 Big Fat Mama / [Trouble In Mind - voc Rosetta Tharpe] - 10/47
25319 Savoy / [Rock Me - voc Rosetta Tharpe] - ca 11/47
25339 Sweet Slumber / [Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well - voc Wynonie Harris] - ca 3/48

AFRS JUBILEE (Lucky Millinder Orchestra)
36 unknown songs - recorded July 1943 (at least guitarist) - 8/43
37 Are You Ready - recorded July 1943 - 8/43
38 Big Fat Mama - recorded August 1943 - 8/43
39 guitarist only - recorded July 1943 - 8/43

DECCA (Tab Smith Orchestra)
8661 I'll Live True To You / You Lovely You - 10/44
48039 Loving You Just The Same / Brown Skin Blues - 7/47
48056 I'll Live True To You / You Lovely You - 11/47

   UNRELEASED DECCA (Tab Smith Orchestra)
      I've Been Good To You (recorded 12/6/44)
      It's All Over But The Shouting (recorded 12/6/44)

REGIS (Rendezvous Sextet, Featuring Tab Smith And Trevor Bacon; subsidiary of Manor)
1015 I Was Wrong / Rosa Lee - 12/44

MANOR (Tab Smith & His Orchestra)
1010 I Was Wrong / Rosa Lee - ca 7/45

REGIS (Tab Smith & His Orchestra)
7000 The Things You Are / [Tab Steps Out (I)] - 10/45

MANOR (Tab Smith & His Orchestra)
1097 Once In A While / [Don't Blame Me (I)] - ca 11/47

CORAL (Tab Smith Orchestra; Decca masters)
60042 All Night Long / I'm Sorry About The Whole Affair - 3/49