The 1959 LP album [eBay auction] link above, SOLO SESSION, is by my cousin, Ken Errair, who used to sing and play trumpet with the Four Freshmen during their hey-days and was with them during their string of numerous huge hits in the 1950's. - - Actually, Ken is my 2nd cousin... as he's my mother's first cousin... and they were as close as sister & brother, so I am told. This music played constantly around my house when I was growing up.
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Freshmen
At a big party at his Hollywood home in the mid-50's, Sammy Davis Jr. introduced Ken to a life-long Hollywood movie star name Jane Withers... and they eventually got married and had 2 kids... which is why Ken left the Four Freshmen, so as to stop touring and get off "the road". To raise their family, they bought Lucy & Desi's 5 acre estate out in "the valley" outside of L.A. Ken was very bright, as well as talented. I'm told he was a self-taught trumpeter, pilot, land developer and many other unique talents / skills. I only met him a few times and barely remember him because I was so young at the time. Ken started out in life as a tool & die maker in Detroit, like his father and brother. He played music in the Detroit, Michigan area and eventually joined the Four Freshmen in the early 50's, and the rest is history.
The Four Freshmen were discovered in Dayton, OH by popular "big band" leader Stan Kenton who immediately called Capitol Records and insisted that they sign the group... which they did.
Sadly, Ken died in a tragic 1968 airplane crash that he was piloting (1 of 2 planes he owned) while he was surveying land that he was considering buying and developing. He was just shy of his 40th birthday when he died. My family mother was devastated, as was the rest of our family.
The Four Freshmen were unique in the 1950's because they all played mutiple musical instruments in addition to sing very well. Back then, in the 40's and 50's, singing "groups" were all the rage. But all those singing groups were strictly singers and did not play their own music.
Jane Withers was in movies from the time she could walk & talk... and was first 'best known' as the "little bad girl" in the Shirley Temple movies. As she got older she became a "young starlet" with leading roles.... but eventually became famous again, with an all new generation, as a character actor, most memorable as "Josephine The Plumber" on TV commercials as well as movie & TV supporting roles. Her acting credits are extremely long... see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Withers
I have a copy of this album shown below. It is very good, especially his trumpet playing. Ken was well liked by all who knew him... and respected by his musical peers. Jane, on the other hand, was a bit of a snob... at least she always was to my family. She was a fixture in Hollywood and my family was just a bunch of hard-working mid-westerners. She's 87 and still kicking. Her son, Ken Jr.., who I speak with on occasion, told me he and his sister finally moved Jane out of the big house in the valley and into a condo in town. BTW, Jane was a life-long collector of Hollywood memorabilia.... one of the biggest collections in Hollywood, so I'm told. Ken Jr. told me the house was packed to the gills with rare memorabilla. But I don't know what they did with it. See the mention in her Wikipedia link above regarding actor James Dean.
The Four Freshmen - rehearsing at Capitol Recording Studios - 1955
On the red carpet . . . in Hollywood, California . . .
Ken & Jane (Withers) Errair
with actress Carroll Baker & her Director/husband Jack Garfein - 1956
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carroll_Baker she was stunningly beautiful!
Important to note: The Four Freshmen singing group is still together, uninterrupted, and still recording and touring yet today... (obviously with new members.) But their music is timeless. To that point - The Four Freshmen is the longest continuing act in American recording history... (65+ years!) They also have a big active fan club called The Four Freshmen Society. I believe the original members of the group have all died... but replacements over the years are true to their music. I think their uninterrupted popularity is testament to the greatness of their music.
Here is The Four Freshmen's current webpage with photos: http://www.4freshmen.com/
Here is a link to The Four Freshmen Society: http://www.fourfreshmensociety.com/
The group is in the Vocal Hall Of Fame... and has received countlesss prestigious awards over the decades!!!
Hope you all found this mildly interesting.
Have a good weekend.
Regards from,
The Hillman
