Ernest Lawrence "Ernie" Fields (August 28, 1904 – May 11, 1997) was an Afri… Read Full Bio ↴Ernest Lawrence "Ernie" Fields (August 28, 1904 – May 11, 1997) was an African American trombonist, pianist, arranger and bandleader. He first became known for leading the Royal Entertainers, which were based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and toured along a circuit stretching from Kansas City, Kansas, to Dallas, Texas. In later years he led a band that recorded in Los Angeles.
Fields was born in Nacogdoches, Texas and was raised in Taft, Oklahoma. He attended Tuskegee Institute and then moved to Tulsa.
From the late 1920s, he led a band called the Royal Entertainers, and eventually began touring more widely, and recording. Supported by Bob Wills, Fields' band became the first African-American band to play at the landmark Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa. In 1939, he was invited to New York by John Hammond to record for the Vocalion label, and began to tour nationally. He did not become a star, but continued to work steadily, recording for smaller labels, and gradually transforming his sound through a smaller band and a repertoire shift from big band, swing to R&B. During World War II, he entertained troops both at home and abroad.
He continued to straddle these styles into the 1950s, playing swing standards such as "Tuxedo Junction" and "Begin the Beguine" in a rocking R&B style. In the late 1950s he moved to Los Angeles, California, joining Rendezvous Records, for whom he ran the house band. This included pianist Ernie Freeman, guitarist Rene Hall (who had previously worked with Fields in the 1930s), saxophonist Plas Johnson, and drummer Earl Palmer. In 1959 this band had an international hit with an R&B version of Glenn Miller's "In the Mood", credited to the Ernie Fields Orchestra, which reached #4 on the Billboard chart. The track also peaked at #13 in the UK Singles Chart. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The band, with minor changes of personnel, went on to record instrumentals under many different names, including B. Bumble and the Stingers, The Marketts and The Routers.
Rendezvous Records folded in late 1963, and Fields retired soon after and returned to Tulsa. He died in May 1997, at the age of 92. In 2013 his family donated his memorabilia to the planned Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture.
His son is the saxophonist and bandleader Ernie Fields, Jr., and his daughter Carmen became a journalist in Boston where she co-hosted the evening news for WGBH-TV.
Fields was born in Nacogdoches, Texas and was raised in Taft, Oklahoma. He attended Tuskegee Institute and then moved to Tulsa.
From the late 1920s, he led a band called the Royal Entertainers, and eventually began touring more widely, and recording. Supported by Bob Wills, Fields' band became the first African-American band to play at the landmark Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa. In 1939, he was invited to New York by John Hammond to record for the Vocalion label, and began to tour nationally. He did not become a star, but continued to work steadily, recording for smaller labels, and gradually transforming his sound through a smaller band and a repertoire shift from big band, swing to R&B. During World War II, he entertained troops both at home and abroad.
He continued to straddle these styles into the 1950s, playing swing standards such as "Tuxedo Junction" and "Begin the Beguine" in a rocking R&B style. In the late 1950s he moved to Los Angeles, California, joining Rendezvous Records, for whom he ran the house band. This included pianist Ernie Freeman, guitarist Rene Hall (who had previously worked with Fields in the 1930s), saxophonist Plas Johnson, and drummer Earl Palmer. In 1959 this band had an international hit with an R&B version of Glenn Miller's "In the Mood", credited to the Ernie Fields Orchestra, which reached #4 on the Billboard chart. The track also peaked at #13 in the UK Singles Chart. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The band, with minor changes of personnel, went on to record instrumentals under many different names, including B. Bumble and the Stingers, The Marketts and The Routers.
Rendezvous Records folded in late 1963, and Fields retired soon after and returned to Tulsa. He died in May 1997, at the age of 92. In 2013 his family donated his memorabilia to the planned Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture.
His son is the saxophonist and bandleader Ernie Fields, Jr., and his daughter Carmen became a journalist in Boston where she co-hosted the evening news for WGBH-TV.
In The Mood
Ernie Fields Lyrics
Instrumental
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@geoffbrookes1641
This, along with Bill Haleys Rock around the clock....are the two best jive records ever.
@Yodelinthegully.-
Great version! You can hear the bass drum. Very well recorded!
@johnfisher7599
It's amazing that Ernie Fields recorded during the jazz, swing, rhythm-and-blues and rock-and-roll eras. It's great that he was able to re-introduce this classic from the 1930's to a new generation.
@richardskola3570
+John Fisher True statement. This record introduced me to Glenn Miller.
@michaelrauch2179
And how he did. Also to parts of the 1980's Generation.😉
@davidwalsh3439
A brilliant reworking of an amazing tune. Ernie Fields made a true classic when he made this record. This was my last year at school.
@ronwalker2353
A superb version
@georgeswift4063
What a jam!
@vicentedesantiago9635
I love this song, I always put it over and over, please make a looong version, thank you.
@mkl62
Ernie Fields' version of In the Mood went to #4 on the Top 40 charts. It went to #7 on the Rhythm & Blues charts and to #13 in the United Kingdom. It would finish at #99 for the year, 1959.