The Four Modernaires - Jeepers Creepers 1938

Jeepers Creepers - Jack Teagarden And The Four Modernaires & Paul Whitman And His Swing. Jeepers Creepers is a popular 1938 song and jazz standard. The music was written by Harry Warren and the lyrics by Johnny Mercer, for the movie Going Places. It was premiered by Louis Armstrong and has since been covered by dozens of other artists. The Modernaires had their beginnings as a trio in Buffalo, New York, in 1935. Their first engagement was with the Ted Fio Rito Orchestra. The members, Hal Dickinson, Chuck Goldstein, and Bill Conway were called Don Juan-Two and Three. Soon after that, they joined the Ozzie Nelson Band, and became known as The Three Wizards of Ozzie. Next came a stint with Fred Waring, where they recruited Ralph Brewster to make it a quartet, and The Modernaires were a reality. In 1937 they joined Paul Whiteman’s musical organization where they were featured on his radio show, and recorded many of the classic songs of that era, a few with Jack Teagarden. Their biggest break came in 1939 when the legendary Glenn Miller engaged them to record a tune called “It’s Make Believe Ballroom Time,“ a sequel to the original “Make Believe Ballroom,“ which they had recorded earlier for Martin Block’s Big Band Show of the same name, on WNEW New York. Soon after, Glenn Miller made the Modernaires an important part of the most popular big band of all time. Paula Kelly (Mrs. Hal Dickenson) was added to the group, making it a quintet, and for the next few decades they traveled the world many times over making history with the Glenn Miller Band.