The Q — Guy Lombardo
This is the latest in an occasional series of posts about history of The Queensbury Hotel in Glens Falls.
The Warren County Sheriff’s Department loaned four deputies to help patrol downtown Glens Falls streets the night of April 25, 1949.
It probably was a quiet night because the center of activity was at the Glens Falls Armory on Warren Street, where Guy Lombardo and his “internationally famous” Royal Canadians band played “The Sweetest Music This Side of Heaven” at the 19th annual Glens Falls Police Protective Association ball.
About 2,000 people danced the night away from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
“Each set saw the floor buried beneath the nimble feet of hundreds of couples while hundreds of others watched from a section of 500 seats which extended entirely around the large drill shed of the Armory,” The Post-Star reported. “Vocals by the orchestra’s famous singers were liberally sprinkled through the program of familiar Lombardo arrangements.”
Those not able to get tickets could listen to a live 30-minute broadcast at 10 p.m., which Lombardo himself announced, on local radio stations WGLN and WWSC.
G.A. Trahan Inc. of Cohoes decorated the armory with an elaborate ceiling display of tiny blinking lights on a blue background and lighted columns with lights changing colors, portraying a “Star Dust” musical theme.
“Star Dust” was the band’s fox trot recording of the Decca label featuring vocalist Kenny Gardner, who served in the Army with Gerald Hammond of 157 Hunter St. in Glens Falls.
Before the dance the two “war buddies” had a reunion at 4:30 p.m. at The Queensbury Hotel, where the band was staying.
Hammond brought along a group of friends to get autographs from Lombardo and other musicians.
Lombardo, who grew up in London, Ontario, began touring with his band in 1924 and sold more than 100 million records.
He is famous for his half century of New Year’s Eve live broadcasts on radio and television.
The day after the 1949 dance in Glens Falls Lombardo went on a boat ride on Lake George to check the waters out as a possible location to bring his new $60,000 speed boar Kaiser being constructed in New Jersey.
Lombardo and his band returned to Glens Falls in 1950 for an encore performance at the 20th annual Glens Falls Police Protective Association ball.
Sources: The Post-Star April 20, 26, 27, Dec. 22, 1949.
Click here to read the most recent previous post in the series.
