I’m thinking it was Jimmy Dorsey’s So Rare in 1957. Is there something later?
I’m defining hit as charting in the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 or equivalent, a hit in the mass audience sense.
Thanks
Hometownboy
In 1961, Lawrence Welk hit #1 with"Calcutta."
Are you counting the ‘90s revival like Cherry Poppin’ Daddies? Because that would be your answer, if so.
No, not counting revival acts. What I’m trying for is the last of an era. Things don’t just stop cold, of course, they wane gradually, and occasionally wax again, as previous posters have pointed out. But I was wondering what was the last hit by one of the classic big bands.
I do believe NDP has nailed it. Though I tend not to classify Lawrence Welk mentally as a big band, they certainly qualify, if on the sweet end of the spectrum.
There were big band-ish hits even after Calcutta. Percy Faith, Henry Mancini and Ferrante and Teicher all had hits at least through the first half of the 60’s. Sinatra, Louis Armstrong and Nat King Cole all had hits where their vocals were backed by big bands.
“But those aren’t really big bands.” I know what you mean. Here’s a handful that might be considered “big band.”
David Rose, The Stripper - 1962.
Al Hirt, Java - 1964.
Shirley Bassey, Goldfinger - 1965 (I know, it’s a vocal, but what you remember is the big band beginning.)
The last signer who regularly charted using big band arrangements was probably Tom Jones.
Sinatra released a multi-disk compilation in 1980 that got on the charts. It contained “New York, New York”.
The one I was going to name. People are usually surprised to find out the song is that recent. Minelli’s is from '77.
Great thoughts, all. F.U. Shakespeare I think tops it. Thanks to the clue, I was able to find that New York, New York made it to #32 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1980, certainly the last of the Big Band singers to make the Top 40 - at the same time as Lips, Inc’s Funkytown and Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall. Amazing.
Confirmed that it was the last single to chart for Sinatra.
Frankly, I was surprised it was that recent. I thought it dated from an earlier decade.
Tony Bennett’s A Swinging Christmas reached #28 in the Billboard top 200 in 2008 (not just the Christmas list). He’s still consistently in the top 200 albums; his** Duets** reached number three, and Duets II is due to be released this fall and will probably chart. So he’s a big band act that’s still making hit albums.
Title song from a (not very good) Scorsese musical starring Minnelli with Robert De Niro.
Yes, I know. I’ve already looked it up.
When will Hometownboy be back to declare RealityChuck as slamming it?