Johnny Hamp's Kentucky Serenaders

Legend has it that Johnny Hamp became the leader of the Kentucky Serenaders one night while attending a dance at the Hershey Ballroom, in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The previous leader of the band had a disagreement with the musicians and skipped out on them early in the evening, leaving them unpaid. Johnny Hamp offered to lead the band that night, and afterwards became the new leader of the band. The Kentucky Serenaders had a big hit in 1926 with the dance craze tune "Black Bottom". Johnny Hamp continued to lead bands throughout the 1920s and 1930s and early 1940s. In 1930 they visted England. From 1931 onwards they recorded as Johnny Hamp and his Orchestra.

Thanks to Bob Palmer, Carl Rose, Owen Miller and Richard Unger for the recordings on this page.

Title	Recording Date	Recording Location	Company
Angry (George Brunies / Jules Cassard / Abbie Brunies / Mecum)	9-19-1925	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 19786
As Long As I Have You	6-15-1926	New York, New York	Victor 20076
Avalon Town (Nacio Herb Brown / Grant Clarke)	11-28-1928	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 21829
Black Bottom (4) (Buddy De Sylva / Lew Brown / Ray Henderson)	6-28-1926	New York, New York	HMV 20101
Black Bottom (5) (Buddy De Sylva / Lew Brown / Ray Henderson)	6-28-1926	New York, New York	Victor 20101-B
Blue Grass (From George White's "Scandals") (DeSylva / Brown / Henderson)	6-27-1928	New York, New York	Victor 21511-A
Blue Shadows (Raymond Klages / Louis Alter)	8-10-1928	New York, New York	Victor 21632-B
Cecilia (Herman Ruby / Dave Dreyer)	8-13-1925	New York, New York	Victor 19756-B
C-O-N-S-T-A-N-T-I-N-O-P-L-E (Harry Carlton)	6-27-1928	New York, New York	Victor 21511 HMV 21511
Dawning (Abner Silver / Maceo Pinkard)	9-2-1927	New York, New York	Victor 20923-A
Gone Again Gal	9-16-1926	New York, New York	Victor 20241
Gorgeous	5-27-1927	New York, New York	Victor
Halfway To Heaven (Al Dubin / J. Russel Robinson)	8-14-1928	New York, New York	Victor 21615-B
Honey Bunch	5-4-1926	New York, New York	Victor 20047
I Can't Get Over A Girl Like You (Loving A Boy Like Me)	7-20-1926	New York, New York	Victor 20119
I Can't Give You Anything But Love From 'Blackbirds of 1928' Vocal refrain by Hal White (Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh)	5-17-1928	New York, New York	Victor 21514-A HMV 21514
I Fell Head Over Heels In Love (Donovan Parsons / Pat Thayer)	9-2-1927	New York, New York	Victor 20923-A
If I Had A Talking Picture Of You (DeSylva / Brown / Henderson)	1929	New York, New York	Victor 22124-B
I Found A Roundabout Way To Heaven	5-4-1926	New York, New York	Victor 20047
If You Don't Love Me	6-18-1928	New York, New York	Victor 21547-B
I Haven't Told Her, She Hasn't Told Me (But We Know It Just The Same)	5-4-1927	New York, New York	Victor
I'll Never Miss You Again (Partington / Harris / Black)	7-14-1926	New York, New York	Victor 20118
I'm Afraid To Sing That Song To Someone Else (Tommy Malie / Joe Verges)	7-26-1927	New York, New York	Victor 20829-B
Is It Possible? (That She Loves Me) (Mort Dixon / Harry Woods)	6-29-1927	New York, New York	Victor 20819-B
It All Belongs To Me (from "Ziegfeld Follies") Vocal refrain by Franklyn Baur (Irving Berlin)	8-23-1927	New York, New York	Victor 20900-B
I Want You All For Me	9-19-1925	Camden, New Jersey	HMV
Japansy	5-17-1928	New York, New York	Victor 21451-B
Keep Your Sunnyside Up (DeSylva / Brown / Henderson)	1929	New York, New York	Victor
Lady Luck From Warner Bros. picture "Shoe Of Shows" (Ray Perkins)		New York, New York	Victor 22219-A
New Moon (Weeks / Tyner / Marple)	7-14-1926	New York, New York	Victor 20118
Mia Bella Rosa (Ted Koehler / Frank Magine)	11-28-1928	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 21813
Nobody But Fanny	9-19-1925	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 19807-A
Oh, How I Miss You			Victor
Oh, Look At That Baby	11-29-1927	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 21323-A
Oh! Say Can I See You Tonight? (Creamer / Schuster / Flatow)	9-19-1925	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 19786
One O'Clock Baby Vocal refrain by Franklyn Baur (DeSylva /Brown / Henderson)	5-4-1927	New York, New York	Victor 20644-B
Please Let Me Dream In Your Arms (Sherman / Lewis / Lombardo)	11-28-1928	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 21813
Pretty Cinderella (Will J. Harris)	9-15-1926	New York, New York	Victor 20241
Roses Remind Me Of You	6-28-1926	New York, New York	Victor 20099
'Round Evening Vocal refrain by Hal White (Whiting / Steiner / Coots)	11-22-1928	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 21804-A
Someday You'll Say "O.K." Vocal refrain by Franklyn Baur (Walter Donaldson)	8-23-1927	New York, New York	Victor 20900-A
So That's The Kind Of Girl You Are	9-10-1925	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 19781
Tenderly	7-20-1926	New York, New York	Victor 20119
That's Why I Love You (Walter Donaldson / Paul Ash)	7-7-1926	New York, New York	Victor 20105
The Promenade Walk (Grey / Goodman / Rubens / Coots)	8-13-1925	New York, New York	Victor 19756-A
The Sunrise (Will Bring Another Day For You)	11-9-1927	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 21256
The Two Of Us (Phillips/ Campbell / Connelly)	9-16-1926	New York, New York	Victor 20290-A
The Waltz Of Love Vocal refrain by Hal White (Ted Koehler / Joe Verges)	12-6-1927	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 21391-A
Tomorrow Vocal refrain by Joe Cassidy	12-6-1927	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 21167-A
Turkish Towel	9-15-1926	New York, New York	Victor 20290
Two Lips (To Kiss My Cares Away) Vocal refrain by Frank Munn (Billy Rose / Harry Warren)	8-10-1928	New York, New York	Victor 21615-A
What D'Ya Say? (DeSylva /Brown / Henderson)	8-14-1928	New York, New York	Victor 21632-A
What'll You Do? (Ned Miller / Chester Cohn)	11-9-1927	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 21084-B
When The Dear Old Summer Goes	9-19-1925	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 19807-B
Where Is The Song Of Songs For Me? (Theme song of D.W. Griffith's "Lady of the Pavements") (Irving Berlin )	11-22-1928	Chicago, Illinois	Victor 21838
Who Wouldn't?	7-7-1926	New York, New York	Victor 20117

Artist	Instrument
Howard Bartlett	Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Vocals
William Benedict	Trombone
Lester Brewer	Trumpet
Charles Buckwalter	Piano, Vocals, Arranger
Frank Baur	Vocals
Joe Cassidy	Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Vocals
Roy Cropper	Vocals
Charles Dale	Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone
Cliff Gamet	Alto Saxophone, Vocals
Edward Groff	Bass Brass, Vocals
Irwin Hood	Piano
Lewis James	Vocals
Johnny Marvin	Vocals
Frank Masterson	Banjo, Vocals
Frank Mumm	Vocals
Billy Murray	Vocals
Walter Pontius	Vocals
Elliot Shaw	Vocals
Ray Stillson	Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone
John Strouse	Drums
Clayton Tewkesbury	Trumpet
Hal White	Violin, Vocals