Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Harry Charles Prime was born on March 5, 1920 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated from St. Bridget’s Elementary and Roman Catholic High School. In the fall of 1944, he entered and won a singing contest at the 400 Club in Washington, D.C. and was offered a week’s engagement at the Club.

From there he proceeded to perform with big bands such as Randy Brooks, Tommy Dorsey, Jack Fina and Ralph Flanagan throughout the 1940’s and 50’s. Prime’s recording of the song Until with Tommy Dorsey sold a million records, but recording most of his hit songs with the Flanagan band.recording most of his hit songs with the latter.

In 1945, the Nations Disc Jockeys voted the Ralph Flanagan Band as the #1 band in the country and Prime was voted 20th best singer ahead of Dennis Day, Eddie Fisher and Dean Martin.

In the years following his tenure with the big bands, Prime never strayed far from the music business and worked as a disc jockey and radio host in various cities including WCAU in Philadelphia and WNPV in Lansdale.

His impeccable phrasing and vocal prowess led him to record Dear Hearts and Gentle People, Oh, What a Beautiful Morning, Nevertheless and Just One More Chance. He sits among the likes of Bob Eberle, Billy Eckstine, Dick Haymes, Frank Sinatra and Perry Como.

Prime recorded nearly 100 songs in the 1940s and 1950s, including Until, a million-seller with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. The song peaked at number four in the US chart.

Big band vocalist Harry Prime died on June 15, 2017 in Chalfont, Pennsylvania at age 97.

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