Marion Hutton

Born Marion Thornburg on 10 March 1919 in Battle Creek, Michigan, Marion Hutton, elder sister of Betty Hutton by two years, began performing at age five with her mother and sister in their family's speakeasy. Like her sister, Betty, Marion began her professional singing career with Vincent Lopez. Unlike her sister, if she recorded with Lopez there is no record of it. Discovered by Glenn Miller in 1938, while Betty remained in California to build a career in film (until an appearance on Broadway in 1940) Marion headed to points East with Miller's swing orchestra. Though Marion wasn't the film star that her sister was she was considerably the more focused on recording with above 300 sessions traced by Tom Lord, most of them with Miller. Lord finds Marion recoding with Miller as early as 13 December 1938 in New York City toward 'Mutiny in the Nursery' sung with Ray Eberle and Tex Beneke. That was a CBS radio broadcast from the Roseland State Ballroom in Boston, later to see issue in the UK on Soundcraft LP-1022 and Ajazz 513.

'Mutiny in the Nursery'   Marion Hutton w Ray Eberle and the Glenn Miller Orchestra

13 Dec 1938   Soundcraft 1022 / Ajazz 513

Trumpet: Johnny Austin / Bob Price / Claude Bowen

Trombone: Miller / Paul Tanner / Al Mastren

Alto sax: Hal McIntyre / Wilbur Schwartz / Bill Stegmeyer (tenor)

Tenor sax: Stanley Aronson (clarinet) / Tex Beneke (vocal)

Piano: Chummy MacGregor   Bass: Rollie Bundock   Drums: Bob Spangler

Arrangement: Bill Finegan

Composition: Johnny Mercer

A date for NBC on 23 December 1938 from the Paradise Restaurant in New York City heard Marion singing 'What Have You got That Gets Me?' and 'Wait Until My Heart Finds Out'. Those transcriptions saw later issue on CD per Jazz Hour JH1004. Multiple broadcasts for NBC from the Paradise Restaurant in New York City ensued into 1939 when Hutton sang titles backed by Miller for the Bluebird label: 'Shut-Eye' (10139) and 'Cuckoo in the Clock' / 'Romance Runs in the Family' (10145). Eberle was flip to 10139 per 'How I'd Like to Be with You in Bermuda'.

'Cuckoo in the Clock'   Marion Hutton w the Glenn Miller Orchestra

6 Feb 1939   Matrix 033609-1   Bluebird 10145

Trumpet: Charlie Hill / Bob Price / Legh Knowles

Trombone: Miller / Paul Tanner / Al Mastren

Alto sax: Hal McIntyre / Wilbur Schwartz

Tenor sax: Al Klink / Tex Beneke / Stanley Aronson

Piano: Chummy MacGregor   Guitar: Allan Reuss

Bass: Rolly Bundock   Drums: Cody Sandifer

Arrangement: Bill Finegan

Composition: Walter Donaldson / Johnny Mercer

'Love with a Capital "You"'   Marion Hutton w the Glenn Miller Orchestra

16 Nov 1939 in Cedar Grove NJ   NBC 'Meadowbrook' radio broadcast   See Buddha CD99602 (CD)

Trumpet: Leigh Knowles / Clyde Hurley / Dale "Mickey" McMickle / John Best

Trombone: Miller / Paul Tanner / Al Mastren / Frank D'Annolfo

Alto sax: Hal McIntyre / Wilbur Schwartz (clarinet) / Jimmy Abato (baritone)

Tenor sax: Tex Beneke / Al Klink

Piano: Chummy MacGregor   Guitar: Dick Fisher

Bass: Rollie Bundock   Drums: Maurice Purtill

Music: Ralph Rainger   Lyrics: Leo Robin

'The Woodpecker Song'   Marion Hutton w the Glenn Miller Orchestra

29 Jan 1940 in NYC   Matrix 046739-1   Bluebird 10598

Trumpet: Leigh Knowles / Clyde Hurley / Dale "Mickey" McMickle / John Best

Trombone: Miller / Paul Tanner / Howard Gibeling / Frank D'Annolfo

Alto sax: Hal McIntyre / Wilbur Schwartz (clarinet) / Jimmy Abato (baritone)

Tenor sax: Tex Beneke / Al Klink

Piano: Chummy MacGregor   Guitar: Dick Fisher

Bass: Rollie Bundock   Drums: Maurice Purtill

Music: Eldo Di Lazzaro   Lyrics: Bruno Cherubini (Italian) / Harold Adamson (English)

From 'Reginella campagnola' ('Queen of the Countryside')

'Happy In Love'   Marion Hutton w the Glenn Miller Orchestra

8 Dec 1941 in NYC   Matrix 068457-1   Bluebird B-11401

Trumpet: Dale "Mickey" McMickle / John Best / Billy May

Trombone: Miller / Paul Tanner / Jimmy Priddy / Frank D'Annolfo

Alto sax: Skip Martin / Wilbur Schwartz (clarinet) / Ernie Caceres (clarinet / baritone)

Tenor sax: Tex Beneke / Al Klink

Piano: Chummy MacGregor   Guitar: Bobby Hackett (trumpet) / Bill Conway

Bass: Doc Goldberg   Drums: Maurice Purtill

Arrangement: Jerry Gray

Composition: Jack Yellen / Sam E. Fain (Sammy Fain)

IMDb has Marion first appearing in film while with Miller in 1942 per 'Orchestra Wives'. Marion remained with Miller off and on until his final performance with his band on 27 September 1942, after which he left his orchestra to join the Allied effort during World War II (to die in the English Channel 1944). Marion's last film role was in 1949 with the Marx Brothers in 'Love Happy'.

'Chattanooga Choo Choo' / 'People Like You And Me' (2:09)

Marion Hutton w the Glenn Miller Orchestra

From the film 'Orchestra Wives' directed by Archie Mayo   Released 4 Sep 1942

Trombone: Miller   Upright bass: Jackie Gleason

Vocals: Tex Beneke / Modernaires

Compositions: Harry Warren / Mack Gordon