Red McKenzie (William McKenzie) (October 14, 1899, St. Louis, Missouri - Fe… Read Full Bio ↴Red McKenzie (William McKenzie) (October 14, 1899, St. Louis, Missouri - February 7, 1948, New York City) was an American jazz musician. He was the best-known, and one of the only, comb players in jazz history.
McKenzie played the comb by placing tissue paper over the tines and blowing on it, which produced a sound similar to a kazoo. McKenzie also played the kazoo proper, and occasionally sang. He was a co-founder, with Jack Bland, of the Mound City Blue Blowers, who released a number of titles between 1924 and 1925 and were, for a time, a sensation. At the same time, McKenzie also recorded solo as Red McKenzie & the Candy Kids. In 1928, he fronted a group called McKenzie and Condon's Chicagoans for a few sides on Okeh Records. He returned to the Mound City name again in 1929, 1931, and 1935-36.
Beginning in 1931 (no doubt due to the popularity of crooners like Bing Crosby and Russ Columbo), he started recording as a singer, processing a very warm crooner style as a solo for Columbia and with Paul Whiteman in 1932. He sang again with the Spirits of Rhythm in 1934 and the Farley-Riley group in 1935. He made two swinging vocal records for Variety in 1937. Between 1939 and 1943 he went into retirement, moving back to his birthplace of St. Louis and working in a brewery, but appeared with Eddie Condon between 1944 to 1947 as a vocalist. Known as heavy drinker, he died of liver cirrhosis in 1948.
McKenzie played the comb by placing tissue paper over the tines and blowing on it, which produced a sound similar to a kazoo. McKenzie also played the kazoo proper, and occasionally sang. He was a co-founder, with Jack Bland, of the Mound City Blue Blowers, who released a number of titles between 1924 and 1925 and were, for a time, a sensation. At the same time, McKenzie also recorded solo as Red McKenzie & the Candy Kids. In 1928, he fronted a group called McKenzie and Condon's Chicagoans for a few sides on Okeh Records. He returned to the Mound City name again in 1929, 1931, and 1935-36.
Beginning in 1931 (no doubt due to the popularity of crooners like Bing Crosby and Russ Columbo), he started recording as a singer, processing a very warm crooner style as a solo for Columbia and with Paul Whiteman in 1932. He sang again with the Spirits of Rhythm in 1934 and the Farley-Riley group in 1935. He made two swinging vocal records for Variety in 1937. Between 1939 and 1943 he went into retirement, moving back to his birthplace of St. Louis and working in a brewery, but appeared with Eddie Condon between 1944 to 1947 as a vocalist. Known as heavy drinker, he died of liver cirrhosis in 1948.
Way Down Yonder In New Orleans
Red McKenzie Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Way Down Yonder In New Orleans' by these artists:
Al Jolson Well, way down yonder in New Orleans In the land…
Andrews Sisters Al Jolson Well, way down yonder in New Orleans In the land…
Betty Hutton Well, way down yonder in New Orleans in the land…
Bing Crosby Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
Bix Beiderbecke And Frankie Trumbauer Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
Bix Beiderbecke and His Orchestra Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
Bix Beiderbecke feat. Frankie Trumbauer and His Orchestra Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
Bix Beiderbecke Frankie Trumbauer & his Orchestra Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
Bobby Hackett Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
Cannon Freddie Well, way down yonder in New Orleans in the land…
Charioteers Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
Coleman Hawkins Dear old Southland I hear you calling me. And I long…
Connee Boswell Well, way down yonder in New Orleans in the land…
Connick Jr. Harry Way down yonder, in New Orleans In the land of the…
Dean Martin Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
Dinah Shore Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of…
Dr. John Cooper Clarke In the South Land there's a city Way down on the…
Duke Ellington Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
Eydie Gormé Well, way down yonder in New Orleans in the land…
Frank Trumbauer & His Orchestra feat. Bix Beiderbecke Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
Frankie Trumbauer And His Orchestra Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
Frankie Trumbauer And His Orchestra Featuring Bix Beiderbecke Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
Freddie Cannon Well, way down yonder in New Orleans in the land…
George Scott Wood and his Orchestra Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
Harry Connick Jr. Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
Henry Busse And His Orchestra Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
Jan Well, way down yonder in New Orleans in the land…
Jan Garber & His Orchestra Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
Louis Armstrong and His All-Stars Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
Louis Prima Well, way down yonder in New Orleans in the land…
Ozzie Nelson & His Orchestra Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
The Andrews Sisters Well, way down yonder in New Orleans In the land…
The Andrews Sisters Al Jolson Well, way down yonder in New Orleans In the land…
The Charioteers Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
The Charioteers Bing Crosby Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
The Platters Well, way down yonder in New Orleans in the land…
The Valentine's Day Mob Singers and Orchestra Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
Van Alexander And His Orchestra Way down yonder in New Orleans In the land of the…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Red McKenzie:
After You've Gone Now won't you listen honey, while I say, How could…
After You’ve Gone Now won't you listen honey, while I say, How could…
Basin St Blues Won't you come along with me To the Mississippi We'll take a…
Basin St. Blues Won't you come along with me To the Mississippi We'll take a…
Dinah Carolina Gave me Dinah; I'm the proudest one Beneath the…
Exactly Like You I used to have a perfect sweetheart Not a real one,…
I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
I Can't Believe You're In Love Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
I Can't Get Started With You Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
I Cant Get Started With You Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
I Can`t Get Started With You Yesterday you came my way, And when you smiled at me, In…
I Cried For You I remember other days how I used to weep Over…
Just Friends Just friends, lovers no more Just friends, but not like befo…
Sweet Lorraine Everything is set, skies are blue, Can't believe it yet, but…
The Trouble With Me Is You I haven't got a headache darling And my vision is ok…
Time On My Hands When the day fades away into twilight The moon is my…
You Rascal You I remember other days how I used to weep Over…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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