Jazz Connection Magazine

Band singer Garry Stevens, pictured above, blows out all 90 candles that crown his birthday cake on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2006, at

Feather Falls Casino in Oroville, CA. Stevens was appearing with The Fabulous Swing Kings, a Chico, CA-based fifteen- piece

dance band, at the popular gaming spot when he was given a surprise birthday celebration by the band's director, Bernard

Farmer. Stevens turns 90 on Oct. 21.

- Photo by Stephen Fratallone/Jazz Connection Magazine

When Big Band Era crooner Garry Stevens took to the stage in the Cascade Showroom at Feather Falls Casino in Oroville, CA, he thought it would

be just another gig with the Fabulous Swing Kings. But Maestro Bernard Farmer and his fifteen-piece dance band from Chico, CA, had something else in mind. They combined their monthly appearance at the popular gaming spot into a surprise birthday bash for Stevens, who turns 90 on Oct. 21. The music world's newest soon-to-be nonagenarian was taken back and visibly moved by the outpouring of adulation. And for the approximately 200 faithful hoofers who came out to "cut a rug," they too, were elated to be part of the celebration.

Stevens made a name for himself as the boy singer with trumpeter Charlie Spivak's band from 1941 to 1943, and later with tenor saxophonist Tex Beneke's outfit from 1946 to 1948. During stints with both bands, Stevens chalked up a number of chart-toppers including My Devotion, White Christmas, I Left My Heart At The Stage Door Canteen and This Is No Laughing Matter (all with Spivak), and As Long As I'm Dreaming, Anniversary Song, The Sweetheart Of Sigma Chi, But Beautiful and Beyond The Sea (the latter five tunes with Beneke). In fact, Stevens was so popular in his hey day that he was ranked fourth in two Billboard readers' polls of favorite male band vocalists during that decade.

Throughout the 1950s, Stevens became a pioneer performer in the early days of television, hosting his own thirty-minute nightly musical variety show in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-area.

Stevens, a Benicia, CA, resident, proudly refers to himself as the "oldest living self-taught band singer who is still singing." He keeps active performing a few times a month with area bands while serving as a mentor and frequent performer with the Benicia High School Jazz Band. The reason why these various groups jump at the chance to work with Stevens is because he's timeless. The pipes of this seasoned veteran belie his age. Stevens admitted at times to feeling 90, but his voice sure does not sound like it.

"I can't believe Garry sounds as young as he does," commented John Schultz, a casino guest from Oroville. "His voice is amazing!"

"I'm floored every time I hear him sing," added Susan Ellerby, from Paradise. "He sounds wonderful."

Stevens kicked his portion of the show off to a nostalgic start with Day By Day, a romantic ballad from the war years. He then launched into the lush and reverie-filled Beyond The Sea that had dancers crowding near the foot of the stage listening not only to the beautiful words of this love song but also absorbing the wonder of the voice (and man!) that was bringing such words to life.

Stevens was the first to record Beyond The Sea in late1947, over a dozen years before hipster Bobby Darin dusted it off and made it into a swinging hit. To illustrate the musical contrast, 21-year-old alto saxophonist Adam Johanson, a.k.a. Bobby Reed, a student at California State University, Chico, came out from the Swing Kings sax section into the spotlight and belted out the Darin version of the song. Johanson, a regular with the band for the past three years, has blossomed into quite a showman, presenting a very authentic rendition of the Charles Trenet and Jack Lawrence composition.

Later in the show, Johanson inspired dancers to "get down" with his funky presentation of the James Brown signature piece, I Feel Good. While the young entertainer was authentic in sound, he would have been more convincing had he fused his fine vocal talents with additional flamboyant body language.

Stevens then gave out with My Devotion, his 1942 tour de force piece and the Spivak band's biggest hit. Trumpeter Jesse Rosenquist nailed Spivak's signature sound down, providing a warm and robust introduction. Other tunes in the Stevens repertoire included the up-beat standard, It Had To Be You, I'll Remember April, which he recorded with Spivak in 1942, and a jaunty arrangement by the late Billy May of South Of The Border.

After singing the Jimmy Van Heusen opus, But Beautiful, during the early part of the second set, Stevens' birthday party was off in full swing. As the band played a vigorous strand of Happy Birthday, a large birthday cake adorned with 90 candles was wheeled out on a cart onto the middle of the dance floor. Escorting the pyro-packed baked good with fire extinguishers were Ed Ballentine, Administrator of the Northern California Burn Foundation, Snuffy the Burn Dog, the Northern California Burn Foundation's mascot, and The Swing Kings' Chicken. Members of the Swing Kings then followed behind, armed with candle lighters. On Farmer's directive, all 90 candles were lit, causing the darkened showroom to be aglow.

Although it took him five attempts, Stevens huffed and puffed like the Big Bad Wolf until he eventually blew out all the candles on his cake, to thunderous applause. Not a bad pair of lungs for a soon-to-be-90-year-old! Birthday cake was then distributed for each person in attendance. An 18" x 20" birthday card was also passed around for guests to sign.

Stevens was then presented birthday greetings from a number of his musical contemporaries, many of whom he had not seen or had been in contact with for years. He was then presented with an official proclamation from Benicia Mayor Steve Messina marking Oct. 21, 2006 as "Garry Stevens Day" in the small maritime village 35 miles northeast of San Francisco.

The biggest birthday surprise for Stevens, however, came when his eldest daughter, Karyn Hanson, a resident of Denver, appeared from the back of the darkened showroom to be with her dad for this special event. It had been two years since father and daughter had been reunited.

Stevens' birthday celebration also coincided with the recent publication of his autobiography, Band Singer (Bookstand Publishing). (See Garry Stevens' Book)

This is the fifth time the celebrated crooner has worked with the Fabulous Swing Kings in the past two years and it doesn't appear it will be the last.

Throughout the remainder of the evening, the Swing Kings tossed out generous portions of Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Count Basie, Les Brown, Sammy Kaye, Guy Lombardo, and Lawrence Welk, complete with a bubble machine which provided an ambiance that can best be described as truly "Wunnerful, Wunnerful!"

Highlights of the evening included some tight ensemble work by the band on Businessman's Bounce, a medley of tunes saluting the "Mickey Mouse" bands of the period. To emphasize the point, each musician wore Mickey Mouse ears!

Of course, popular swing tunes from that magical musical era such as In The Mood, Pennsylvania 6-5000, Tuxedo Junction, Sing, Sing, Sing, and St. Louis Blues March were not left out.

The band's regular featured vocalist, Rosie Mello, was once again in outstanding voice, rendering dynamic renditions of I've Heard That Song Before from the Harry James library (again, some nice trumpet work on that difficult piece by Rosenquist), and a swinging version of All Of Me.

A fun and memorable evening of nostalgia by a fabulous band and by a timeless guest artist.

The next performance by the Fabulous Swing Kings at Feather Falls Casino is set for Sunday, Oct. 22 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission free, but you must be at least 21 years old to attend.

Garry with the band 01 Garry with the band 02 Garry and Rosie with B-day Card Garry with Band 03 Garry crooning

Garry with B-cake 01 Garry with B-cake 02 Garry with B-cake 03 Garry and Karyn Garry and Bernie

Adam Johanson (a.k.a. Bobby Reed) Garry doing what he does best Happy Birthday, Garry!