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