User:Rurik/Johnny Long (musician)

Johnny Long (September 12, 1914 (disputed) – October 31, 1972) was an American violinist and bandleader, known as "The Man Who's Long on Music". He was raised on a farm in Newell, North Carolina, currently a subdivision of Charlotte. He started practicing with the violin at the age of six, but injured two fingers on his right hand when he was bitten by a pig. He then learned to use his left hand to play the violin, and continued to do so until his death.

Music Career
As a freshman at Duke University, Long joined with ten other freshmen to create a school band named The Duke Collegians. During their sophomore year, they were adopted as the official school band. The band stayed together throughout their school years and, upon graduation, renamed themselves The Johnny Long Orchestra, with Long as the bandleader. For a number of years they toured the country and were eventually signed on to Vocalion Records (owned by ARC) in 1937 for the release of Just Like That. They performed their first national radio broadcast in 1939 on The Fitch Summer Bandwagon Show, which boosted their national popularity. This resulted in the band being signed on by Decca Records.

Under management of Decca, Long wrote and released a hit single, In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town, that resulted in over one million sales. This song quickly became the bands signature tune. This song, and numerous other hits, make the band one of the most successful big bands in the country during the 1940's. One of the high points of his career was playing Franklin D. Roosevelts Birthday Ball in April 1941

However, as the big band style diminished over the years, so did the band. Long continued to lead the band, with various different members, up until his death in 1972.

Movie Roles
While being supported by a strong musical following, Johnny Long and his band enjoyed a short film career. Their first big role was in the Abbott & Costello comedy, Hit the Ice, where Long played a romantic male lead opposite Ginny Simms. The same year gave Long his last major movie role in Follies Girl.