Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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McKENZIE, Red

(b William McKenzie, 14 October 1907, St Louis MO; d 7 February 1948, NYC) He worked as a jockey; formed a novelty group playing comb-and-tissue-paper with a kazoo-like sound. He recorded under his own name and also led the Mound City Blue Blowers from '23, visited London '25 and made some trio records '24-5 (adding Frankie Trumbauer on two sides); he was a talent scout for record companies late '20s, resumed recording and began singing '29, using sidemen '29-36 incl. Eddie Condon, Jack Teagarden, Bunny Berigan, Muggsy Spanier, etc; a '35 session included a quintet from the Bob Crosby band. He sang on the 'Bill Dodge' transcription records by a Benny Goodman studio band '34; McKenzie was 'Joe Carroll'. His best-known records were the instrumentals 'Hello Lola'/'(If I Could Be With You) One Hour', from November 1929, with solos from Coleman Hawkins and Pee Wee Russell, as well as Glenn Miller; 'One Hour' in particular reveals Hawkins's mature ballad style. Some thought McKenzie was quite a good singer (his 'Sweet Lorraine' '37 was a straight ballad), but he left music to become a beer salesman until '44 and his career never recovered. He died of cirrhosis.