Bob Eberly

Biography

Bob Eberly, born Robert Eberle on July 24, 1916, in Mechanicville, New York, and raised in Hoosick Falls, began his career as a guitarist and vocalist in local clubs after winning Fred Allen’s amateur hour in the mid-1930s. Discovered by the Dorsey Brothers in Troy, New York, he joined their orchestra in spring 1935 as a replacement for Bob Crosby, opting to stay with Jimmy Dorsey after the brothers split, where he remained for eight years as a featured romantic baritone vocalist specializing in slow ballads.[1][2][5] His style, described as individual and rivaling Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, propelled him to high rankings in polls, including third in Billboard’s college polls (1940-1942) and second in Down Beat’s 1941 poll.[1][2]

Eberly's peak fame came from duets with Helen O'Connell, engineered by arranger Tutti Camarata for Dorsey’s radio show, featuring his ballad verse followed by her upbeat chorus on hits like 'Amapola' (1941), 'Tangerine,' 'Green Eyes,' and 'Maria Elena.' He recorded the original 'I'm Glad There Is You' in 1942, a jazz standard, and appeared in films including I Dood It (1943) and The Fabulous Dorseys (1947).[1][4] Entering military service in December 1943, he sang with Wayne King’s orchestra in Chicago until 1945, after which solo efforts on Decca, Coral, and Riviera labels failed to recapture his stardom amid the big band era's decline.[2][4]

Post-war, Eberly toured solo, co-hosted TV shows with O'Connell, and performed in small clubs into the 1970s, with his final gig at Disney World's Top of the World in 1980. He died on November 17, 1981, in Glen Burnie, Maryland, from cancer complications after lung surgery funded by Frank Sinatra, leaving a legacy as a swing-era crooner whose warm baritone defined Jimmy Dorsey's sound.[1][2][5]

Fun Facts

• Changed his name from Eberle to Eberly in 1939 because a Milton Berle radio announcer kept mispronouncing it.[1][2]
• Was best friends and roommates with Jimmy Dorsey, who encouraged him to go solo, but he preferred the security of a steady band salary.[1]
• Frank Sinatra, whom he rivaled in polls, paid for his 1980 lung cancer surgery despite never meeting.[1][5]
• His younger brother Ray Eberle was a vocalist with Glenn Miller, and they grew up together in Hoosick Falls, New York.[2][3]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Fred Allen - Provided early break by winning his amateur hour contest (Local club performances leading to Dorsey discovery) [mid-1930s]

Key Collaborators

• Jimmy Dorsey - Band leader and close friend/roommate for eight years (Hits including 'I'm Glad There Is You', 'Amapola', 'Green Eyes', 'Tangerine') [1935-1943]
• Helen O'Connell - Duet partner on Dorsey records and TV; rumored romantic interest ('Amapola', 'Tangerine', 'Green Eyes', 'Maria Elena'; co-hosted TV show) [1939-1953]
• Wayne King - Sang with orchestra during military service (Military performances) [1943-1945]
• Tutti Camarata - Arranger who engineered duet format with O'Connell (Dorsey radio show and recordings) [late 1930s-early 1940s]

Artists Influenced

• Up-and-coming crooners - His romantic baritone style influenced many during swing era (N/A) [1930s-1940s]

External Links

• Spotify