[ "Spike" Jones & his City Slickers ]
b: December 14, 1911 Long Beach, CA, USA. d: May 1, 1965, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Instrument: Drums
"Spike" Jones formed his first band, The Five Tracks, while still in high school. Both the bands and his nickname have their origins from his dad's co-workers on the Southern Pacific Railroad.

During the 1930s, Jones worked with many California based bands, among them Ray Robbins, Earl Burtnett and Everett Hoagland, and Johnny Cascales (later known as Johnny Richards). While with Cascales, Spike, pianist Charlie LaVere, and singer/composer Bonnie Lake formed a trio which played the local Hollywood area clubs. In 1941, he formed his own band with the idea of doing humorous songs and song parodies. This band, -'The City Slickers', became known for including noises such as car horns, cowbells and gun shots on their records. At first, they only did studio recordings for the Bluebird label while Jones continued his studio work with other musicians. For example, in 1942, when Jones had his first hits, -"Clink, Clink, Another Drink" (Del Porter & Mel Blanc on vocal), and "Der Fuehrer's Face" (Carl Grayson & Willie Spicer on vocal), Spike was also was the drummer on Bing Crosby's hit recording of "White Christmas".

As a result of their studio successes, Jones took the band on a national tour (1943-44), and in 1944 entertained American and Allied troups in Europe. After the (AFM) recording ban, Jones recorded for RCA Victor, and had hit records with parodies of "Cocktails For Two", "Chloe" and "The Jones Polka". "Chloe" featured a vocal by Red Ingle, who had previously worked for Ted Weems. In May 1946, Ingle left Spike forming his own band, 'Red Ingle & The Natural Seven'. This group had a number of hits on Capitol, including "Tim-Tayshum" with Cinderella J. Stump ("Temptation", with Jo Stafford) and "Cigarettes, Whuskey and Wild, Wild Women". "The Jones Polka" featured Mickey Katz, father of future Broadway star Joel Grey, as vocalist.

In 1946 Jones led two bands. In addition to 'The City Slickers' he made an attempt at leading a dance band. This second band was known as 'Spike Jones & His Other Orchestra'. Helen Grayco, who was Spike's wife and also did vocals with the City Slickers, was the main vocalist of the 'Other Orchestra'. While this band recorded a number of transcriptions, it was a financial failure and lasted less than one year.

In 1947, Spike formed a new version of the 'City Slickers'. He had cracked down on alcohol abuse by members of the City Slickers and, as a result, so few members were left that he had to reform the band. He had a popular radio show (1947-48) first known as 'The Spotlight Revue' and later as 'The Spike Jones Show'. They again toured, this time as the 'Musical Depreciation Revue'. The year 1948 gave Jones his only #1 hit record, "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" (George Rock on vocal). Rock was also the vocalist on Jones' 1954 parody of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus". Jones also had a television show in the 1950's. In the late 1950's Jones was the host/star of a short-lived televison show, Club Oasis.

His last big hits were "I Went To Your Wedding" with 3'9" comedian Billy Barty on vocal and "Pal-Yat-Chee" (a takeoff on 'Pagliacci' that featured the vocal group of Homer & Jethro singing). In 1956, he left RCA for Verve Records where he recorded four LP's.

He would record other albums for Kapp (1); Liberty (6), and Warner Brothers (1). By the late 1950's, he began to experience severe shortness of breath and had to travel with an oxygen tank at all times. In 1965, at just age 54, Spike died of emphysema. In 1988, The Spike Jones Story, a movie about his life was made for televison. After his death, his son, Spike Jones Jr, led the band for a few years.

Vocalists incl: Del Porter, Carl Grayson, Helen Grayco, Aileen Carlisle, Ruth Foster, "Doodles" Weaver, Red Ingle, Willie Spicer, George Rock, Earl Bennett (aka Sir Frederic Gas), and Purvis Pullen (aka Dr Horatio Q. Birdbath).

Among the men with whom Spike worked were Billy Barty, George Rock, Earl Bennett (Sir Frederic Gas), Joe Siracusa, "Mousie" Garner, Bernie Jones and Eddie Brandt.

Films:
'Thank Your Lucky Stars' (1943), 'Meet The People' (1944), 'Bring On The Girls' (1945), 'Breakfast In Hollywood' (1946); 'Ladies' Man' and 'Variety Girl' (both 1947); 'Fireman, Save My Child' (1954)