| In 1930 a talented musician aged 21 decided to form a | | | | face with two prized autographs in his notebook! |
| dance band, and hey presto, the country's, if not the | | | | But I digress. It was with an eight-piece band, playing in |
| world's, longest serving entertainment unit was born | | | | the style of Oscar Rabin's Romany Band at the |
| and has been doing jus that non-stop ever since! The | | | | Astoria Ballroom, that Joe took the first steps to |
| Joe Loss Orchestra now directed by Todd Miller is still | | | | becoming well-known. His growing popularity brought |
| appearing countrywide to this day. | | | | him a job at the Kit Kat Club where he made many of |
| I say "entertaining" because Joe always said, "although | | | | the BBC outside broadcasts. During his time there he |
| we are in the music business we are also | | | | raised the personnel to 11 plus a young lady vocalist - a |
| entertainers." When Joe became ill in 1990 he asked | | | | croonette as they were known. She made her first |
| Todd to take over the Orchestra and not one booking | | | | broadcast singing "Red Sails In The Sunset" the top hit |
| was cancelled. Todd himself joined the Orchestra in | | | | of the day in 1935. She was only 18 and in years to |
| 1972 and is now regarded by many as one of the | | | | come became the "Forces Favourite" none other than |
| best front men in the business. | | | | Vera Lynn. |
| It was in 1969 that Joe decided, for financial reasons, | | | | After a long residency in London Joe began to tour |
| that he would reduce the personnel to ten musicians | | | | the music halls, as did many bands of the day. During |
| and three vocalists. He felt that when the moment | | | | the war he took the band to entertain the troops |
| was right he would re-assemble the big band. Indeed | | | | around the UK and eventually to France and Holland. In |
| to this day there are many musicians playing in present | | | | 1946 Joe began a regular residency in the Isle of Man |
| day big bands who appear in the Joe Loss Big Band | | | | from May until the end of September, which lasted until |
| whenever the band is booked. | | | | 1959. With the coming together of the ITV companies |
| On the subject of big bands and their leaders there is | | | | Joe and the orchestra became the house band for |
| an amusing story relating to Joe and Billy Cotton. It | | | | ABC and opened up all of the television regions |
| appears that one morning just after the end of the | | | | throughout the UK during the period from 1956 to 1960. |
| war, Joe arrived home after a gig just before | | | | They were to be seen regularly on television often up |
| breakfast. Having had a quick cup of tea and still in | | | | to four times a week. This was followed by a long |
| pyjamas and dressing gown, who should be knocking | | | | residency at the Hammersmith Palais until August 1969 |
| at the front door other than Billy Cotton with a brand | | | | broken only by an 18-week season at the Empire |
| new motor car. He insisted on taking Joe for a spin | | | | Leicester Square and 12months at the Lyceum in 1967. |
| and although the weather conditions were pretty grim, | | | | They then moved on to the Empire until November |
| bitterly cold and with thick snow off they went into the | | | | 1970 at which point Joe decided to retire. He told Sam |
| surrounding countryside. Unfortunately, before too long | | | | Watmough, the current manager of the band, who |
| the car ran out of petrol (it still being rationed that time | | | | joined in 1956 that during the meeting he was to inform |
| didn't help) and Billy left Joe in the car whilst he set off | | | | the band of his decision. |
| in the quest for a garage. There sat Joe as cold as ice | | | | Joe opened his speech saying "Gentlemen, we shall be |
| and with teeth chattering when along came the local | | | | leaving the Empire and Mecca in 6 weeks time on |
| bobby. Pushing his bicycle, he enquired as to why Joe | | | | November 30th." This brought Stan Pickstock, lead |
| was sitting in the car in freezing weather wearing his | | | | trumpet, to his feet, Stan had been with the band since |
| pyjamas and dressing gown. Joe informed the police | | | | 1961, who said, "bloody great, now we can get back on |
| constable that he was Joe Loss and that Billy Cotton | | | | the road," at which point the band applauded. |
| had gone off to try and get some petrol. By the look in | | | | Joe however was taken aback and said, "I didn't think |
| his eye the constable was finding it hard to believe | | | | you would want to go on the road again, but if you do |
| such a story, until Billy re-appeared with a can of petrol | | | | that's fine." So the Joe Loss Orchestra was back on |
| and convinced the sceptic that the story was indeed | | | | the road once again and had remained so ever since. |
| true! The constable cycled away with a smile on his | | | | |