18 June 2024
(Until 18 June)Toni Harper Child Singer – Phantom Dancer
Phantom Dancer Radio Show
Toni Harper was a child singer in the 1940s-50s with a remarkably mature voice. She is your Phantom Dancer feature this week.
The Phantom Dancer is your weekly non-stop mix of swing and jazz from live 1920s-60s radio and TV every week.
LISTEN to this week’s Phantom Dancer mix (online after 2pm AEST, Tuesday 18 June) and weeks of Phantom Dancer mixes online at, at https://2ser.com/phantom-dancer/
TONI
Toni Harper aka Toni Dunlap, was an American child singer with a remarkably mature voice. She retired from performing at the age of 29
Learning dance under Maceo Anderson, Harper was cast by the choreographer Nick Castle in Christmas Follies, at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre, Los Angeles, at age 8, in 1945.
She went on to perform on stage with Herb Jeffries and Cab Calloway.
In 1946, age 9, she recorded “Candy Store Blues”. It became a platinum record
She appeared twice on Toast of the Town (later The Ed Sullivan Show) in 1949, and made her third and final appearance on the show in 1950.
She sung on the Jubilee radio show in 1947 with Count Basie and made another Jubilee aircheck 24 December 1948.
Harper performed at the third annual Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles on September 7, 1947 at age 9.
She sung at the eighth Cavalcade of Jazz concert on June 1, 1952.
After success as a child singer, Harper recorded her first album, Toni, for Verve Records in 1955, with the Oscar Peterson trio, at age 18.
She made two further albums, arranged by Marty Paich, Lady Lonely (1959) and Night Mood (1960), for RCA Victor.
Harper toured Japan with Cannonball Adderley in 1963, and appeared in the film How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965.
She retired from performing in 1966 and died in 2023.
18 June PLAY LIST
Play List – The Phantom Dancer 107.3 2SER-FM Sydney LISTEN ONLINE Community Radio Network Show CRN #659 | ||
107.3 2SER Tuesday 18 June 2024 | ||
Set 1 | Charlie Barnet | |
Open + You’ll Always Hurt the One You Love | Charlie Barnet Orchestra (voc) Kay Starr | ‘Spotlight Bands’ Bridgeport Conn. AFRS Re-broadcast 30 Oct 1944 |
PTime Waits for No One | Charlie Barnet Orchestra (voc) Phil Barton | ‘Spotlight Bands’ Bridgeport Conn. AFRS Re-broadcast 30 Oct 1944 |
| Rockin’ in Rhythm + I’ll Walk Alone | Charlie Barnet Orchestra (voc) Kay Starr | ‘Spotlight Bands’ Bridgeport Conn. AFRS Re-broadcast 30 Oct 1944 |
| A Straighten Up and Fly Right + Drop Me Off in Harlem + Close | Charlie Barnet Orchestra (voc) Peanuts Holland | ‘Spotlight Bands’ Bridgeport Conn. AFRS Re-broadcast 30 Oct 1944 |
Set 2 | Cannonball Adderley | |
I’ll Remember April | Cannonball Adderley Quintet | ‘Bandstand USA’ Cafe Bohemia WOR Mutual NYC 3 Aug 1957 |
Miss Jackie’s Delight | Cannonball Adderley Quintet | ‘Bandstand USA’ Cafe Bohemia WOR Mutual NYC 3 Aug 1957 |
Jubilation + What’s New? | Cannonball Adderley Quintet | ‘Bandstand USA’ Cafe Bohemia WOR Mutual NYC 3 Aug 1957 |
Spectacular + Close | Cannonball Adderley Quintet | ‘Bandstand USA’ Cafe Bohemia WOR Mutual NYC 3 Aug 1957 |
Set 3 | Toni Harper | |
Frim Fram Sauce | Toni Harper (age 9) Count Basie Orchestra. Eddie Beale (piano) | ‘Jubilee’ AFRS Hollywood 1948 |
Zip-a Dee-Doo-Dah | Toni Harper (age 10) Eddie Beale (piano) | ‘Jubilee’ AFRS Hollywood 24 Dec 1948 |
Candy Store Blues | Toni Harper (age 10) Eddie Beale (piano) | ‘Jubilee’ AFRS Hollywood 24 Dec 1948 |
Candy Store Blues | Toni Harper (age 9) Count Basie Orchestra Eddie Beale (piano) | ‘Jubilee’ AFRS Hollywood 1948 |
Set 4 | Ambassadors from Melody Land | |
Open + What is This Thing Called Love | Ambassadors from Melodyland | ‘Dr Scholls Program’ Radio Transcription 1931 |
Talk | Sponsor Message | ‘Dr Scholls Program’ Radio Transcription 1931 |
Where the Golden Daffodils Grow | Ambassadors from Melodyland | ‘Dr Scholls Program’ Radio Transcription 1931 |
Set 5 | Fats Waller | |
Hallelujah! | Fats Waller | ‘George Jessel’s Celebrity Program’ WEAF NBC Red NYC 12 Feb 1939 |
Ain’t Misbehavin’ (theme) + I Simply Adore You | Fats Waller | WEAF NBC Red NYC 5 Jul 1938 |
| My Best Wishes | Fats Waller | WEAF NBC Red NYC 5 Jul 1938 |
Handful of Keys | Fats Waller (piano solo) | WEAF NBC Red NYC 5 Jul 1938 |
Set 6 | Eddie Condon | |
Wherever There’s Love | Eddie Condon Group (voc) Lee Wiley | ‘Eddie Condon Jazz Concert’ AFRS Re-broadcast 16 Sep 1944 |
Wolverine Blues | Eddie Condon Group | ‘Eddie Condon Jazz Concert’ AFRS Re-broadcast 16 Sep 1944 |
I’ve Been Around | Eddie Condon Group (featuring Ernie Carcares and Jess Stacy) | ‘Eddie Condon Jazz Concert’ AFRS Re-broadcast 25 Nov 1944 |
The Lady’s in Love | Eddie Condon Group | Eddie Condon Jazz Concert’ AFRS Re-broadcast 25 Nov 1944 |
Set 7 | Charlie Spivak | |
Stardreams (theme) + One Way Passage | Charlie Spivak Orchestra | Palladium Ballroom KNX CBS LA 4 Aor 1948 |
I Understand | Charlie Spivak Orchestra (voc) Gary Stevens | Radio Transcription 1941 |
The New Look | Charlie Spivak Orchestra | Palladium Ballroom KNX CBS LA 4 Aor 1948 |
Charlie Horse | Charlie Spivak Orchestra | Radio Transcription 1941 |
Set 8 | Modern Jazz | |
| Bebop | Howard McGee Sextet | ‘Jubilee’ AFRS Hollywood 29 Apr 1947 |
| Groovin’ High | Howard McGee Sextet | ‘Jubilee’ AFRS Hollywood 29 Apr 1947 |
| Sabroso | Slim Gaillard | ‘Symphony Sid Show’ Birdland WJZ ABC NYC 7 Jul 1951 |
