Another favorite piece of family lore has to do with the fact that my brother’s wife’s father, Jack Gutjahr, was also a vocalist who recorded pop and swing tunes back in the day. Gutjahr — who recorded under the stage name, Jack Daniels — was the featured singer on a number of records from the late 1940s through the mid-60s and beyond, often backed by Herbie Layne’s Orchestra and released on a small handful of labels (Gateway and Big 4 Hits, typically) owned by Carl Burkhardt and his Rite Record Productions.
“Sixteen Tons“
“Hey Jealous Lover“
“See You Later Alligator“
Gutjahr’s earliest appearance on Gateway appears to be a Big 4 Hits EP release from — “A Fool Was I” — that was recorded under his birth name, Jack Gutjahr, and most likely released in 1953.
“A Fool Was I“
Gutjahr was also part of a vocal ensemble called The Four Jacks, who recorded an eminently danceable version of “R-O-C-K” for Gateway in 1956, thanks to stellar support from Herbie Layne’s Orchestra.
“R-O-C-K“
How amusing to discover years later that – according to the indispensable and authoritative reference source, Rockin’ Country Style – “Jack Daniels” was a pseudonym applied by Cincinnati indie label, Gateway Records, to numerous artists! Fortunately, our family members have good ears and can recognize Jack Gutjahr’s voice without having to consult anyone, such as here on this version of Chuck Berry‘s country-flavored rhythm and blues hit, “Maybellene” from 1955:
[Pssst: Click the triangle above to play “Maybellene” by Jack “Daniels” Gutjahr backed by Herbie Layne’s Orchestra.]
From the designation on the 78 label above, one can reasonably conclude that “Maybellene” served as the B-side to Herbie Layne’s “Wake the Town (And Tell the People)” — a song title later made famous by toastmaster general, U Roy.
My brother, Bryan, also turned up an interesting piece of research:
Jack was also in the John Arvin Quartet. They recorded a calypso album on Gateway, which was picked up by Hollywood Records [click here to view] in NYC. Here is an odd blog site with a bit of info, a sound sample, and front & back covers of the LP. Jack is second from the bottom.
Baritone vocals by “Jack Daniels“
(c.1956)
Jack Gutjahr – second from bottom
Rear Cover Liner Notes
Once featured with the Ralph Flanagan Orchestra, the John Arvin Quartet’s harmonizing is now directed toward pop recordings and singing commercials.
Individually, each member is an accomplished soloist, having recorded under their own names on a variety of labels. They are: baritone Jack Daniels, bass Bill Sontag, tenor Dick Warren, and tenor John Arvin, the group’s leader-arranger who penned several songs for the album.
Unlike most “Typed” vocal ensembles, their unique ability lies in superb translations of all forms of musical expression, from intricate jazz to folk tunes. Here they reach new heights in this album of a dozen rollicking effervescent Calypsos.
More recently, in 2024, I did some additional probing and learned that prior to his work with Gateway, Gutjahr had been a member of Cincinnati vocal quartet, The Singing Winds, who recorded with Ralph Flanagan’s Orchestra in the 1950s.
Also released in Japan, Canada & the UK
Discogs informs us that the group took its name from Flanagan’s “theme song” of the same name and had previously sung under the name, The Varsitones.
The Singing Winds
[Clockwise from left: Jack Ziegler; Jack Gutjahr; Wes Lay; Lynn Tilton]
(image courtesy of Discogs)
The photo above appears to be taken from a news item in the January 12, 1951 edition of Down Beat (below), telling us that Ralph Flanagan’s “new” vocal quartet had recently made its debut at St. Louis’s Casa Loma Ballroom (on November 27, 1950, according to Discogs).
Down Beat
Jan. 12, 1951
Discogs’ entry for The Varsitones, fortunately, includes a photo of the quartet (below) that shows a different female vocalist, Barbara Butsch, flanked by the two Jacks – Gutjahr (left) and Ziegler (right) – along with Wes Lay (far right), if I’m not mistaken:
The Varsitones –
Jack Gutjahr, far left
(image courtesy of Discogs)
VocalGroupHarmony.com tells us that this photo had originally been published in The Cincinnati Enquirer‘s June 22, 1950 edition with a caption announcing the group’s upcoming featured appearance on WLWT’s new summer quiz show, Get On The Line (see below). The Cincinnati Enquirer, according to VocalGroupHarmony, would also report in its August 9, 1950 edition that The Varsitones, who had been “jackpot winners” on the Horace Heidt show (American TV’s “first traveling talent show” beginning in 1947), were also booked for a special upcoming performance at downtown’s Sheraton Gibson Hotel in front of the Cincinnati Executives Association. VocalGroupHarmony also references a Hutchinson, Kansas newspaper item which stated that the “three lads” in The Varsitones were all University of Cincinnati students.
Media Mockery
WLWT’s Get On The Line vs. WCPO’s Get Off The Hook
Cash Box‘s July 10, 1950 issue
The Varsitones, furthermore, had backed WLW radio/TV staff vocalist, Ruby Wright, on a song by Fred Rose entitled (coincidentally enough), “Waltz of the Wind” for King Records, a “B-side” that was released in 1951 and featured backing by Eddie Smith’s Orchestra.
“Waltz of the Wind“
Vocals by Ruby Wright & the future Singing Winds
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Discogs, interestingly, has entries for both Jack Gutjahr and Jack Daniels (the latter term characterizes him as an “American rockabilly singer”), although in retrospect, “Maybelline” may have been a little bit of an outlier for Gutjahr, whose unhurried vocal style would lend itself towards orchestrated and more swinging material, as represented here in this live performance of Frank Sinatra‘s “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” — a video tribute produced by Bryan Richardson:
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LINK to All in the Family (Part 1)
3 Responses
Hey, this is my wife’s grandfather. I’m in the middle of trying to find original recordings of Jack so that I can re-master them digitally. Funny I should stumble across this blog, very nice entry!
If you find any. Please share with Deb and I.
I’m Jack’s granddaughter, visiting this site once again for the memories. So glad it’s still working! <3