Earl Burtnett
And His Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel Orchestra
In 1923, Earl Burtnett became a pianist and arranger for Art Hickman, formerly a prominent bandleader at the Rose Room in San Francisco's St. Francis Hotel, who had just become Entertainment Director at the swank Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. After 1926 Hickman retired and Burtnett took over the band and began making records under his own name.
In 1927, The Biltmore Trio, consisting of Eddie Bush, Bill Seckler and Paul Gibbons, joined Burtnett and enhanced the group not only with strings, but mainly with their vocals. The Trio's popularity soon rivaled that of the band, encouraging other bandleaders to add vocal trios to their orchestras.
Burtnett's Biltmore Hotel orchestra, in addition to recordings, also made appearances in several early films such as The Broadway Melody, The Great Gabbo, Puttin' on the Ritz and Love in the Rough. In 1924 Burtnett became a member of ASCAP as a writer, and two of his own songs, Never Before and Never Again and 'Leven-Thirty Saturday Night have been included on this CD.
In 1927, The Biltmore Trio, consisting of Eddie Bush, Bill Seckler and Paul Gibbons, joined Burtnett and enhanced the group not only with strings, but mainly with their vocals. The Trio's popularity soon rivaled that of the band, encouraging other bandleaders to add vocal trios to their orchestras.
Burtnett's Biltmore Hotel orchestra, in addition to recordings, also made appearances in several early films such as The Broadway Melody, The Great Gabbo, Puttin' on the Ritz and Love in the Rough. In 1924 Burtnett became a member of ASCAP as a writer, and two of his own songs, Never Before and Never Again and 'Leven-Thirty Saturday Night have been included on this CD.
