Happy New Year to all!! Enjoy the strains of Auld Lang Syne played by Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians. To this day, the sounds of Guy's band with the exaggerated saxophone vibrato mean New Year's Eve to many people all around the world.
Lombardo had quite a career selling an estimated 100 - 300 million records during his heyday. He was born in London, Ontario, Canada and was revered there - a kind of hometown celebrity/hero. He left Ontario when barely out of this teens with his band and went back only rarely to Canada. There was a Guy Lombardo museum in London for many years, but it closed in 2007, 30 years after Guy's death.
Lombardo's nieces and nephews have a large collection of artifacts including the band's first paycheck from 1918. They've tried to donate the collection to various museums and universities but there are no takers. Imagine that!!
Despite the fact that Guy had 140 hits including 21, #1 hits, he's been all but forgotten! Except for New Year's Eve when people like me look him up on Wikipedia, listen to that distinctive band sound and wax nostalgic. Linda, remember those wild parties when we rented hotel rooms and stayed up almost all night...???
That is a splendid way to bring in the New Year - a most enjoyable sound. A very Happy New Year to you.
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