Bradley was born Wilbur Schwitchenberg on July 12, 1912 in Newton, New Jers… Read Full Bio ↴Bradley was born Wilbur Schwitchenberg on July 12, 1912 in Newton, New Jersey and died on July 15, 1989.
Will Bradley will always be remembered most for his boogie-woogie orchestra of the early 1940s. Bradley himself, however, preferred to play ballads and had a long and successful career as a trombonist outside of his band. Bradley was a busy studio musician throughout the 1930s, working with such artists as Red Nichols, Eddie Cantor, Victor Young. Jacques Renard, Nat Shilkret, Andre Kostelanetz, Raymond Paige, Kate Smith, and Al Jolson. In 1935 Glenn Miller, who thought Bradley the best trombonist in the business, hired him to play in Ray Noble's American band, which Miller was organizing. He left Noble the following year, however, and returned to studio work. Bradley also played with Milt Shaw's orchestra in 1931, where he met drummer Ray McKinley.
Bradley's name was unknown to the general public when in 1939 William Morris talent agent Willard Alexander suggested he form a swing orchestra. Trombone-playing leaders, such as Miller and Tommy Dorsey, were currently popular, and Alexander felt Bradley would do well on his own. Drummers were also the rage, and Alexander teamed Bradley with old bandmate McKinley, who was then with Jimmy Dorsey. Backed by a powerful publicity campaign the duo's orchestra debuted in 1939 under Bradley's name and soon had its first big hit in ''Celery Stalks.''
The band initially featured pianist Freddie Slack and a young Peanuts Hucko on tenor sax. Trumpeters Lee Castle and Pete Candoli later played with the group. Arrangements were provided by Hugo Winterhalter, Leonard Whitney, and Al Datz. McKinley sang on the more swinging numbers. Other vocalists included Carlotta Dale, Phyllis Miles, Louise Tobin, Larry Southern, and Jimmy Valentine. The group's first recordings were on the Vocalion and Okeh labels. Subsequent releases were on Columbia.
In 1940 Bradley and McKinley began to feature the boogie woogie sound in their arrangements. Initial success with the song ''Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar'' sparked a slew of similar recordings, such as ''Bounce Me Brother, with a Solid Four'' and ''Scrub Me Mama, with a Boogie Beat.'' The new style proved popular with the public, and the band quickly developed a niche following. By early 1942, however, Bradley had tired of boogie-woogie and wanted to focus more on ballads. McKinley disagreed and left to form his own band.
Bradley set about reforming his orchestra but was forced to hang up his baton after only six months due to the war. He lost too many musicians in the draft and was unable to replace them. The new orchestra did not enter the studio. Vocalists were Terry Allen and Lynn Gardner
Bradley continued to record under his own name during the war, using studio musicians, on the Signature label. Ironically, considering the cause of his orchestra's break-up, in 1944 he released material on the Beacon/Celebrity label as Will Bradley and His Boogie Woogie Boys. In 1947 he also recorded with vocalist Anita O'Day on Signature, and in the 1950s he released three albums, which included one RCA collection of boogie woogie songs.
Bradley worked often as a studio musician after the war and spent many years in the Tonight Show orchestra in the Johnny Carson era. In 1953 he had a brief spell with the Sauter-Finegan Band and also composed several classical works in his later years.
Will Bradley will always be remembered most for his boogie-woogie orchestra of the early 1940s. Bradley himself, however, preferred to play ballads and had a long and successful career as a trombonist outside of his band. Bradley was a busy studio musician throughout the 1930s, working with such artists as Red Nichols, Eddie Cantor, Victor Young. Jacques Renard, Nat Shilkret, Andre Kostelanetz, Raymond Paige, Kate Smith, and Al Jolson. In 1935 Glenn Miller, who thought Bradley the best trombonist in the business, hired him to play in Ray Noble's American band, which Miller was organizing. He left Noble the following year, however, and returned to studio work. Bradley also played with Milt Shaw's orchestra in 1931, where he met drummer Ray McKinley.
Bradley's name was unknown to the general public when in 1939 William Morris talent agent Willard Alexander suggested he form a swing orchestra. Trombone-playing leaders, such as Miller and Tommy Dorsey, were currently popular, and Alexander felt Bradley would do well on his own. Drummers were also the rage, and Alexander teamed Bradley with old bandmate McKinley, who was then with Jimmy Dorsey. Backed by a powerful publicity campaign the duo's orchestra debuted in 1939 under Bradley's name and soon had its first big hit in ''Celery Stalks.''
The band initially featured pianist Freddie Slack and a young Peanuts Hucko on tenor sax. Trumpeters Lee Castle and Pete Candoli later played with the group. Arrangements were provided by Hugo Winterhalter, Leonard Whitney, and Al Datz. McKinley sang on the more swinging numbers. Other vocalists included Carlotta Dale, Phyllis Miles, Louise Tobin, Larry Southern, and Jimmy Valentine. The group's first recordings were on the Vocalion and Okeh labels. Subsequent releases were on Columbia.
In 1940 Bradley and McKinley began to feature the boogie woogie sound in their arrangements. Initial success with the song ''Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar'' sparked a slew of similar recordings, such as ''Bounce Me Brother, with a Solid Four'' and ''Scrub Me Mama, with a Boogie Beat.'' The new style proved popular with the public, and the band quickly developed a niche following. By early 1942, however, Bradley had tired of boogie-woogie and wanted to focus more on ballads. McKinley disagreed and left to form his own band.
Bradley set about reforming his orchestra but was forced to hang up his baton after only six months due to the war. He lost too many musicians in the draft and was unable to replace them. The new orchestra did not enter the studio. Vocalists were Terry Allen and Lynn Gardner
Bradley continued to record under his own name during the war, using studio musicians, on the Signature label. Ironically, considering the cause of his orchestra's break-up, in 1944 he released material on the Beacon/Celebrity label as Will Bradley and His Boogie Woogie Boys. In 1947 he also recorded with vocalist Anita O'Day on Signature, and in the 1950s he released three albums, which included one RCA collection of boogie woogie songs.
Bradley worked often as a studio musician after the war and spent many years in the Tonight Show orchestra in the Johnny Carson era. In 1953 he had a brief spell with the Sauter-Finegan Band and also composed several classical works in his later years.
Why Don't You Do Right
Will Bradley Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Why Don't You Do Right' by these artists:
alan silvestri You had plenty money in nineteen twenty-two You let other wo…
AMY BAKER You had plenty money in 1922 you let other women make…
Amy Irving You had plenty money in nineteen twenty-two You let other wo…
Amy Irving Charles Fleischer You had plenty money in nineteen twenty-two You let other w…
Amy Irving with Alan Silvestri & his orchestra You had plenty money 1922 You let other women make a…
Anastasia Lyutova & The Band YOU DON'T DO RIGHT You don't do right. You don't do…
Andy Russell You had a plenty money 1922 You let other women make…
Avera Slow Foxtrot - 29 Bars per minute You had plenty money,…
Bart&Baker You had plenty money in 1922 you let other women make…
Benny Goodman & His Orchestra; Peggy Lee Vocal My heart is sad and lonely For you I sigh, for…
Benny Goodman & His Orchestra; vocal by Peggy Lee You had a plenty money 1922 You let other women make…
Benny Goodman and His Orchestra You had a plenty money 1922 You let other women make…
Benny Goodman and His Orchestra & Peggy Lee My heart is sad and lonely For you I sigh, for…
Benny Goodman and his Orchestra feat. Peggy Lee You had a plenty money 1922 You let other women make…
Benny Goodman And His Orchestra Featuring Peggy Lee My heart is sad and lonely For you I sigh, for…
Benny Goodman Benny Goodman You had a plenty money 1922 You let other women make…
Benny Goodman feat. Peggy Lee My heart is sad and lonely For you I sigh, for…
Benny Goodman v/Peggy Lee You had a plenty money 1922 You let other women make…
Benny Goodman w/ Peggy Lee My heart is sad and lonely For you I sigh, for…
Beth Hart You had plenty money, 1922 You let other women make a…
Billie Holiday You had a plenty money 1922 You let other women make…
Carol Welsman You had plenty money, 1922 You let other women make a…
Charles Fleischer You had plenty money in nineteen twenty-two You let other wo…
Clark Roy Clark & Jow Pass --- Instrumental ---…
Dave Barbour & His Orchestra You had plenty money 1922 You let other women make a…
Della Reese You had plenty money, Nineteen-Fifty-Two You let other peop…
Dennis Farnon & His Orchestra You had plenty money 1922 You let other women make a…
Ella & Joe Fitzgerald & Pass You had plenty money, Nineteen-Twenty-Two You let other wom…
Ella Fitzgerald & Joe Pass You had plenty money, Nineteen-Twenty-Two You let other wome…
Ella Fitzgerald & Oscar Peterson You had plenty money, Nineteen-Twenty-Two You let other wom…
Ella Fitzgerald And Her Quartet You had plenty money, Nineteen-Twenty-Two You let other wome…
Esquivel & His Orchestra You had plenty money 1922 You let other women make a…
Fats Domino You had a-plenty money Nineteen sixty two You let other peop…
Goodman Benny & LEE Peggy My heart is sad and lonely For you I sigh, for…
Joe Pass You had plenty money, Nineteen-Twenty-Two You let other wome…
John Kirby & His Orchestra You had plenty money 1922 You let other women make a…
Julie London You had plenty money in 1941 You lost it all, and…
Lee Aaron Ya had plenty money nineteen.. twenty two You let other wom…
Lil Green You had plenty money in 1922, But you let all the…
Natalie Cole You had plenty money 1922 You let other women Make a fool…
Pass Joe You had plenty money, Nineteen-Twenty-Two You let other wom…
Peggy Lee Why Don't You Do Right You had plenty money, 1922 You let…
Peggy Lee & Benny Goodman You had a plenty money 1922 You let other women make…
Peggy Lee & Benny Goodman and His Orchestra You had plenty money, 1922 You let other women make a…
Peggy Lee & Benny Goodman Orchestra You had a plenty money 1922 You let other women make…
Peggy Lee & Dave Barbour and His Orchestra You had plenty money 1922 You let other women make a…
Peggy Lee & Tommy Dorsey You had a plenty money 1922 You let other women make…
Peggy Lee and The Benny Goodman Orchestra My heart is sad and lonely For you I sigh, for…
Peggy Lee Dave Barbour And His Orchestra You had plenty money 1922 You let other women make a…
Peggy Lee feat. Benny Goodman You had a plenty money 1922 You let other women make…
Peggy Lee with Benny Goodman & His Orchestra You had plenty money 1922 You let other women make a…
Peggy Lee [feat. The Benny Goodman Orchestra] You had a plenty money 1922 You let other women make…
Rasputina You had plenty money 1922 But you let other women make…
Richard Wess And His Orchestra You had plenty money 1922 You let other women make a…
Ruth Brown You had plenty money, Nineteen-Twenty-Two You let other wom…
Sinéad O'Connor You had plenty money Nineteen forty one You lost it all And …
Stan Kenton & His Orchestra You had plenty money 1922 You let other women make a…
The Benny Goodman Orchestra & Peggy Lee You had a plenty money 1922 You let other women make…
Tintinette Swing Orchestra You had plenty money, 1922 You let other women make a…
Tommy Dorsey & Peggy Lee You had a plenty money 1922 You let other women make…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Will Bradley:
Beat Me Daddy Eight To The Bar Beat Me Daddy, Eight To The Bar - written by…
Beat Me, Daddy, Eight to the Bar Beat Me Daddy, Eight To The Bar- written by Don…
Down The Road A Piece If you want to hear some Boogie, then I know…
Down The Road A-Piece If you want to hear some Boogie, then I know…
Down the Road Apiece If you want to hear some Boogie, then I know…
Down The Road To A Piece If you want to hear some Boogie, then I know…
Five O'clock Whistle The five o'clock whistle's on the blink The whistle won't b…
High On A Windy Hill High on a windy hill I feel my heart stand still All…
In A Little Spanish Town Evenings are crowded with memories Thrilling me again Like t…
Pinocchio: When You Wish Upon A Star When a star is born They possess a gift or two One…
The Johnson Rag Johnson Flood Mississippi Mud Black Bottom I got 'em Lindy …
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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S.A.D.
Brilliant. These guys revolutionised music worldwide and were decades ahead of their time.
John Rogan
This is just incredibly good! Lordy, could this band swing! Only have one CD of Will Bradley, will have to see if I can find more. Unfortunately, he grew tired of the boogie-woogie sound later. What a shame, he was so good at it.
radiokid2
Freddie was a brilliant cat. He played the essence of the style but always with a real brain at work too. Those double thirds he likes to use in the RH seem to say it all. Kind of similar to Pete Johnson, who was another scary player!
Mark Maniatt
Peanuts later got sacked from the band because he couldn't play Clarinet!!
He tried to hide the fact by apparently playing the Clarinet part high up on the Tenor but Ray McKinley was having non of it.Two years later Ray recommended Peanuts to Glenn Miller for the AAF Orchestra and was amazed he had become a great clarinettist.Proof here he was a very fine Tenor man also!
Rocknrollguy
Just perfect!
Jack Kelledes
I agree with you in that I also believe Freddie Slack was the best in that era. I wish he was better known so more of his music was available.
Jim Poston
Hey David... Thanks! My Kind Of Music... Born in the 40's, I was raised on this stuff!
Giorgio Cùscito
Peanuts Hucko on tenor
Doug Danzeisen
Infectious swing ! Ending seemed very abrupt, was the tape damaged?
Doug Danzeisen
@David Nogar Fidelity is important and I get your choice. Thanks for sharing this.