Don Bestor & His Orchestra
Don Bestor & His Orchestra
Group from United States
Genres: 1920s, jazz
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About Don Bestor & His Orchestra
Don Bestor (September 23, 1889, Langford SD - January 13, 1970) was an American bandleader and pianist. Don Bestor was one of the grand veteran bandleaders fronting one of the hottest swing bands of the 1920's, -The Benson Orchestra of Chicago. After learning piano at the age of sixteen, he toured the vaudeville circuit. He formed an early dance band in 1921 before working with the Benson band. By the mid 1920's he took over as leader and signed the band with Victor Records. Among the Benson recordings under Bestor's direction were, "Copenhagen," and "In A Covered Wagon With You." He resumed his own band by 1933 and recorded with Brunswick throughout much of the 1930's. The band had such success on record that he was often asked to perform on radio. His radio career was relatively short, but extremely significant. The Don Bestor Orchestra was featured on the Walter O'Keefe Show while at the same time working for the brand new program staring a comedian named Jack Benny. The Benny program began in 1934 and soon became a national craze. Bestor was often asked by Benny to, "Play, Don, Play!"By the late 1930's his fame had waned, however, he continued to tour the band until 1943. Besides his role on the Benny show, the band is remembered for a few important recordings, including, "Animal Crackers In My Soup" from the Shirley Temple movie Curly Top in 1935 and the number one hit song in March 1933, "Forty-Second Street."
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