Dennis Hale (vocalist)

Dennis Hale (24 May 1922 – 10 September 1960), born Dennis Godfrey Hoare, was a vocalist with a number of bands and performers, including the Oscar Rabin Band, Jack Parnell, Johnny Douglas, Teddy Foster (1945 to 1946), and Eric Winstone (1946 to 1948).[1][2]

Dennis Hale
Photo sent by Dennis to his sister
Background information
Birth nameDennis Godfrey Hoare
Born(1922-05-24)24 May 1922
Uckfield, England
Died10 September 1960(1960-09-10) (aged 38)
Kitwe, Northern Rhodesia
GenresBig Band
Years activec.1945 – 1960
LabelsParlophone, Decca Records
Associated actsOscar Rabin Band, Jack Parnell Orchestra etc.

Hale left the army in 1945 where he had been a Sergeant Major. At the time, he was the youngest Sergeant Major in the Royal Artillery. In 1948 Dennis set up his own orchestra and had a resident berth at the Brighton Aquarium ballroom. In 1955 Dennis changed recording label from Parlophone to Decca Records.

Recordings

Parlophone

Decca

Unknown

Critical reception

Gramophone in a review of Hale singing "Devil's Eyes" stated that it was "gorge for those who enjoy the more extravagantly passionate singers."[4] A different reviewer for Gramophone, in a review of Hale singing "The Bandit", stated that they'd "like him much better if he didn't indulge so much in tasteless exaggeration and think that everyone listened to his records about ten miles from their gramophones."[6] A Gramophone review of "Blowing Wild" stated that it was "more for those 'teen age maidens who swoon every time they hear a voice that has what to them is sex appeal. To me it's just rather tasteless extravagance."[5] In 1952, Gramophone reviewed Hale's double-sided single that featured Hale singing "Anytime" and "Weaver of Dreams". For "Anytime", the reviewer stated that it was a "bouncy number" that was "more pleasant to the ear" than other vocalists had done. However, the reviewer stated that "Weaver of Dreams" had a lot of "weary notes" that sounded like he was "sing[ing] through his nose."[3]

Personal life

Hale was married to Santina Motta in 1946 and had two sons, Paul Dennis Hoare and Robert Norman Hoare (Hale).

References
  1. Info from the Slough Observer 16 September 1960 + 10 September 1961 and The Dennis Hale fan magazine issue 4
  2. Chilton, John (2004). Who's who of British jazz. Continuum International Publishing Group. pp. 57, 86, 281, 347. Retrieved 22 August 2011. dennis hale jazz.
  3. Oliver King (March 1952). "Miscellaneous and Dance". Gramophone. Haymarket Group: 34–35. Retrieved 22 August 2011. Note: Page 4 of website.
  4. "Jack Parnell and his Music Makers". Gramophone. Haymarket Group: 70–71. February 1954. Retrieved 22 August 2011.
  5. "Jack Parnell and his Orchestra". Gramophone. Haymarket Group: 80–81. April 1954. Retrieved 22 August 2011.
  6. Edgar Jackson (June 1954). "Jazz and Swing". Gramophone. Haymarket Group: 74–75. Retrieved 22 August 2011. Note: Page 9 of website.
  7. Dennis Hale with Jack Parnell (22 August 2011). "BUTTERSCOTCH MOP 7" (45) UK PARLOPHONE 0". Amazon.com. Retrieved 22 August 2011.
  8. "Chee Chee-OO Chee". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc: 22. 11 June 1955. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 22 August 2011.
  9. "Dennis Hale – Discography". 45cat. 2011. Retrieved 21 August 2011.
  10. Sir Compton Mackenzie and Christopher Stone (December 1955). "Miscellaneous and Dance". Gramophone. General Gramophone Publications Ltd. 33: 97. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2011. Note: Page 5 of website.
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