The 1920s saw a college boy dressed in a raccoon jacket, going out for jazz with a hip flask on his arm and a flapper on the other. This image is one of the most iconic. This image was popularized by Waring’s Pennsylvanians through their music, stage performances, and films. Fred and Tom Waring and their friends Freddy Buck, Poley McClintock formed the band at Pennsylvania State University in 1918. The band was originally called the Waring McClintock Snap Orchestra. In 1922, they changed to Waring’s Banjo Orchestra. They had a huge hit in 1923 with Sleep, and that song remained the band’s main theme song for many years. They were very popular in colleges, where they played at fraternity parties, local dances, and proms. Later, they moved on to play at vaudeville houses and movie theatres across the United States, becoming one of the most sought-after acts in the show business. Collegiate was a big hit in 1925 with Waring’s Pennsylvanians. It is still their most-respected song. This song is a great little snapshot of 1920s college life. They were one of America’s most loved musical acts by the end of 1920s. In 1929, they appeared in a sound film called “Syncopation”. They were a popular act on radio in the 1930s, hosting shows sponsored by Old Gold and Ford, Chesterfield, General Electric, and Fred Waring also developed and sold the Waring Blender, a kitchen appliance. They thought they were competing with their radio program and stopped making records in 1932. This was because they didn’t want to compete again until 1942. They were pioneers of broadcast televison and the act remained popular into the 1950s. General Electric sponsored the Pennsylvanians’ weekly television program in 1949. As the years went by the band’s music changed and they became more of a choral group than a Jazz group, but Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians remained active and quite popular up until Waring’s death in 1984. from http://www.redhotjazz.com
