Eddy Howard — Music Videos

A singing bandleader

Eddy Howard was an American popular singer and bandleader whose smooth tenor became closely associated with romantic dance-band music. Born in California in 1914, he first gained a wider audience singing with Ben Bernie’s orchestra and other bands before forming his own ensemble. His work belongs to the period when a bandleader could serve simultaneously as the featured vocalist, public personality, and organizer of an orchestra built for broadcasts and ballroom engagements.

A postwar repertoire

Howard’s best-known record is “To Each His Own,” which became a major success in 1946. His recordings also include “I Wonder, I Wonder, I Wonder,” “My Adobe Hacienda,” and “Sin (It’s No Sin).” He recorded for labels including Majestic and Mercury, building a repertoire of ballads and accessible popular songs. His radio work included the network program Sheaffer Parade, bringing the orchestra and its singer into listeners’ homes as well as dance halls.

An easy, melodic delivery

Howard generally favored a gentle, clearly stated melody over a more aggressive jazz approach. His phrasing and the orchestra’s supporting arrangements helped establish an intimate atmosphere even within a larger ensemble. The resulting records preserve a particular strand of postwar American pop: music shaped by the social dance band but increasingly identified with the personality of its singer.