Bobby Layne
Bobby Layne is celebrating 51 years in the BIG BAND BUSINESS.
Layne is keeping the traditional music of the 30's, 40's, and 50's alive
with "String of Pearls", "In the Mood", "Stardust" and many other great
big band favorites. He has captured the hearts of dancers and the
listening audience with his excellent tempos and many melodic
arrangements.
Bobby Layne has eight excellent recordings: "Swingin' Down the Layne" 1979,
"Wishing" 1983, "Songs From the Heart" 1986, "40th Year Celebration" 1993,
"Dancing on the Ceiling" 1995, "When you Wish Upon a Star" 1996, "More" 2000,
"Jump Jive and Swing" 2000, and two new releases in 2004, "You Belong to My
Heart" and "Dance in that Old Fashioned Way", all featuring the lovely voice
of Trudy Du May.
Bobby Layne and his Orchestra have had the pleasure working with many
notables in the entertainment business: Bob Hope, Anita Bryant, Art
Mooney, Gordon McRae, the Four Aces, Bob Newhart, Dagmar, Rusty Draper,
the Ink Spots, Joe Feeney, Dave Boyer, the Lawrence Welk cast and
numerous tours with Myron Floren. Highlights include: National Ballroom
Operators Award for "Outstanding Ballroom Performance", "The Best of
Lincoln" award from KFOR Radio, and the band selected to play for the
Governor's Inaugural Ball - four years running.
In the 60's Bobby's band started out as a seven-piece band and enlarged
to an 11 piece in the 70's. In 1974 Miss Trudy DuMay, with her dynamic
vocal style, joined the Bobby Layne Orchestra.
Bobby served four years in the 43rd Army band where he played trumpet.
Not until the 60's due to a shortage of saxophone players, did Bobby
purchase his first alto saxophone and clarinet. He then played lead
saxophone in his own band. He still picks up his trumpet and joins the
brass section on some tunes.
Bobby Layne attended school in Waverly, Nebraska. As a freshman he joined
the high school band where he played first chair trumpet. When he was a
senior, Bobby started his own seven-piece band doing his own booking and
building his library of dance tunes along the way.
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