
A
programme of old time
dance music which ran
from 1943 until 1976. Harry
Davidson
and his Orchestra
provided the music and
the studio audience were
invited to dance to the
Boston Two-step, The
Palais Glide, The Veleta
and The Empress Tango,
and countless other
dances.
The
various old-time dance
societies were well
represented in the studio
audience, thus ensuring a
high standard of
performance - rather
important, as the sound
of people falling over
each other, followed by
expletives would not have
been desirable on the
air!
Complete
with a master of
ceremonies, this
delightful programme of
light music really evoked
the charm of an earlier
age. Harry Davidson
continued as M.D. until
declining health forced
his retirement in
1966. He died early
in 1967 by which time the
music was in the hands of
Sidney
Davey
and his Orchestra. Sidney
had held the position of
pianist, chief arranger
and deputy conductor of
Harry Davidson's
orchestra for many years
and was the obvious
successor. The programme
ended with Sidney's
retirement in 1976.
There
were other radio
programmes featuring old
-time dance music during
this period, noteably
'Time for Old Time' with
Sidney Bowman and
his orchestra and
'Take Your
Partners' featuring
the Sydney Thompson
Old-time orchestra and,
from 1976, the Bryan
Smith orchestra was a
popular ingredient of
'Radio Two Ballroom'.
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