Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Erskin Hawkins' Tuxedo Junction



On this date, July 26, Erskin Hawkins was born in Birmingham, Alabama. The year was 1914. Mr. Hawkins went on to become a famous big band leader, trumpeter, and composer. One of his most popular tunes is "Tuxedo Junction." Written in 1939, the song was first recorded by the Glenn Miller Orchestra. It has subsequently been recorded by many, including Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and Frankie Avalon. My favorite version is from The Manhattan Transfer, recorded in 1975:






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Photos from Tuxedo Junction in Ensley by Charles Kinnaird

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