Harry James, Legendary Trumpeter and Band Leader

Harry James died in 1983. He was battling lymphatic cancer but did not want to talk about it. He wanted to play and graciously invited me to sing with him. The song is "You Made Me Love You, his hit song from 1941.
His was the first "name band" to employ vocalist Frank Sinatra, in 1939, for $75 a week. James signed Sinatra to a one-year contract, of which Sinatra worked seven months before leaving to sing for Tommy Dorsey. He wanted to change Sinatra's name to 'Frankie Satin' but Sinatra refused. His later band included drummer Buddy Rich. His featured vocalist was Helen Forrest.
So many hit songs and so many years of amazing music. Thank you Harry.

[@williamgregory1848]

My dad was a jazz trumpeter and Harry James was his hero. My dad had a photo of me as a baby that was actually signed by Harry James, wishing me a happy life. He had it in his wallet until the day he died. My mom gave it to me and I still have it to this day.

[@sammyvh11]

You are remembered RIP

[@ruthevelynshapiro2002]

I LOVED HARRY JAMES ALL THE YEARS I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL!!!!

[@247hdjazz]

how many years was that? 10........12?

[@phantomsellers8952]

Harry was a class act.

[@HelloooThere]

Well…that’s not what I heard…. But, he’s lovely in an interview on camera, right?

[@general5104]

Im tickled to see Harry James, still doing his thing! I've been listening to him my whole life. The lady can sing good too, and the piano player, smoothe !!! THANK YOU ALL

[@danielzellwger3020]

Oh, it's so great to see Harry James in this way. He was a my big idol when I started trumpet in the 60s in Japan. I've been trying to play some his solos week to week, month to month, and year to year. He is on of the greatest trumpet players in our history.

[@keithjones776]

He was so genial and kind to her. Harry was one of those soloists who always told me a story.

[@kennethtalbott2233]

what a lovely interview.

[@domenicv7962]

Eileen, you have a wonderful voice !

[@tooter1able]

Loved his playing-grew up with it!) but too much smoking and drinking I think did him in. THank you for posting this

[@MDavidG1]

Yep! Crazy to think that a guy who made his living with his lungs would smoke, but almost everybody did in Harry's day. And nicotine is an incredibly addictive drug...

[@Funkadelic3]

Harry James seems to be very quick minded. Wish there were more interviews with him on KZbin. His tone on the horn was always great even later in his life.

[@kenmastro7801]

one Underrated Musician

[@ddkoda]

Great interview with Harry, as gracious as ever. Truly a class act. Eileen is quite the vocalist herself.

[@steveomusicman6645]

Hey Eileen,, i thot -well she gets to chime in with Harry and the pianist doing a little bit of singing,,yeah right.. an interviewer going to attempt to sing a bit.. in my mind I felt this was going to be cringeworthy....until you opened your mouth....what a surprise! You sing beautifully! it was a real treat. : )

[@shamslife9182]

Rumour has it that both of them fell in love with each other that day . You clearly can see it clicked … “I want some love , give me what I cry for “ she sings , that’s what she got … ♥️

[@scotnick59]

Met him briefly after seeing him perform at Delta College in Stockton, CA & it was quite a thrill

[@bbster73]

what a great clip .. so enjoyable.. thanks ,, yeah harry was one if not the best of the big band leaders who kept people on the dance floor not just in saloons but on their feet.

[@brassplyer]

Harry was a superb player. Back in the big band days he played jazz & lead which was unusual. Listen to his performance of "Concerto For Trumpet" from Private Buckaroo that was a demonstration of technical chops - I've never heard anyone match his performance of it. He was an equally awesome jazzer.

[@tadashiyoshikasai9345]

Wonderful video! from Japan.

[@YAMISOOLD2009]

Thanks for posting that. Never had seen relatively modern footage of Harry James. I read his biography and love his music.

[@mrFalconlem]

I long for the mid to late 70s…. It was a relatively peaceful time 😢. I’d like to live it again. Plus tv was not full of total crap.

[@u47tube]

A gem.

[@albiondi4078]

there was one leonardo Davinci one Michael Angelo and one Harry James. Harry could play anything that was capable of being played on the trumpet

[@wardharrah55]

What a great clip! thanks for posting Eileen...beautiful voice as well! I'm a big band singer as well... I always used to think I was born to late, but i don't think that anymore...I was born at just the right time, so I could pick up the torch as Chuck Par-Due put it, and keep the music alive and well. ( If you get a chance, check out some of his videos...He and his wife are extremely talented) If it weren't for people like you taking the time to post videos like this, some of us would never get a glimpse into the lives of our heroes...so Thank You!!!

[@williamfeilhauer2667]

I met Harry in Cincinnati he was a God given sweetheart

[@ChuckParDue1953]

Eileen, Please check the date on this footage. Harry appeared at the Shubert Theater in Boston with The Big Broadcast of 1944, in February of 1980. I was with Harry three weeks before he passed in June 1983, and he was not in as good of health as he was in your interview. Also, Norm Parker left the band shortly after this show. Once again, thanks for sharing this!

[@eileenprose8472]

Thanks so much for the info. I was wrong and deleted the comment. 3 year of daily live television will play games with memory. Eileen

[@eileenprose8472]

I am so glad that you are in the world and can keep appreciation for him alive. He was a very special man and a huge talent. Thanks for all.

[@da11king]

Wanted to learn about Harry the musician and person.. looking for youtube interviews. I am a novice trumpet player ...I really enjoyed it ..thanks for posting 🎺🎶🙏

[@JSDJerry]

That was lovely. Thank goodness for youtube. I'm a big Harry James fan and a big Helen Forrest fan. Eileen made that song your own and you sounded great.

[@peterbrown3944]

Glad it hear there's a Helen Forrest fan out there . I am lucky to of had a signed photo from her.

[@paulunde]

Terrific video. Thanks for sharing.

[@miguelpena9657]

Lo escuchaba en la radio y lo admiraba en su manera de tocar lo que me ayudó muchísimo con su manera Expresiva de tocar muy romántica su música. Miguel Peña SD RD.

[@nelsonpenaranda2745]

Gracias..es in Regalo de Dios...me dá mucho ánimo gracias desde Cochabamba Bolivia.

[@ciphertv948]

I imagined his voice to be way deeper than that

[@scotnick59]

His voice was always surprisingly high-pitched - especially when compared to his contemporaries: the likes of Miller, Dorsey, Goodman and Shaw

[@dbeaumontresident847]

Eileen i grew up with you on television. You are so fast on your feet with this conversation, it was fun, comfortable and so informative. I miss people that can interview with your talent. Was this 1978? He mentions losing "Lombardo" last year, if that was Guy Lombardo he's referring to, that would have been 1977. Look forward to hearing from you, thanks!

[@kerstindahlqvist9641]

From What year is it?

[@philipperson5861]

Harry died in 1983, not 1985.

[@lucypeterson994]

Philip Person and I think that .

Frank Sinatra big break as band singer was with Tommy Dorsey band

[@paulthesaxplayer1829]

Frank's first hit was All or Nothing at All --- with Harry James before he went to Dorsey with Harry's blessing.

[@arame29]

What year was this

[@philperson]

1980

[@maxz617]

He mention loosing Lombardo last year referring to Guy Lombardo who died in '77, so I think is 1978