Previous Vocal Group Record of the Week
#702 (Week of 3/5/11 - 3/11/11)

"Closer To My Heart"
by Walter Fuller
With Club Royale Band
on Kicks 4
released in 1954


Above: Walter Fuller was a trumpeter and vocalist. He was with the Earl Hines Orchestra throughout the 1930's. In 1940, he formed his own orchestra, but soon returned to Hines. From 1946 to 1958, Fuller had a small band that played at the Club Royale in San Diego.



Above: The Billboard, top clipping from 1/2/43, left column from 1944 yearbook and right column from 9/26/44. "Rosetta" was actually composed by Earl Hines and his orchestra's arranger, Henri Woode. Fuller did sing the song as Hines' vocalist.




Kicks Label introductions from The Billboard (Left) 11/6/54
and (Right) 11/27/54. Kicks 1, released in October 1954,
is by a vocal group, The Squires. Kicks 3, released the
following month, is by The Emeralds. The label was located
in Los Angeles.



Above: Label image of Kicks 4, released in November 1954. Somewhat risque label graphics for the time? And a unique numbering system... most labels would show the fourth release as "104." Regarding composer credits, Ned Hertzstam (with Gordon Wolf) owned Kicks Records. Preston Coleman, Fuller's bass player, is given sole composer credit for the flip-side instrumental. Is Bowdry another member of the band?

Trade Magazine Clipping, November 1954: Gordon Wolf, Sunland Music Sales Co., is getting a kick out of the way the new Kicks label is kicking up a big fuss here in L.A. Spearheading the action is his "Why Must I Wonder" disk with the Emeralds....

Listen to this week's selection by Walter Fuller With Club Royale Band on Kicks 4 from 1954:
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]

     A. Stream RealAudio (DO NOT USE...LISTEN USING DOWNLOAD REALAUDIO)...
 
          1. Closer To My Heart

     B. Download RealAudio...
 
          1. Closer To My Heart

     C. Stream/Download Media Player...
 
          1. Closer To My Heart

Billboard Review 12/4/54

     [To download audio files, right-click on link and then select "Save (Link) Target As..."]


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