Ink Spots Live Footage (1947)

RARE footage of Bill Kenny & The Ink Spots performing Live on-stage in London England 1947 (No audio) and couples dancing to The Ink Spots music. Also a few shots of the wives of The Ink Spots including Herb Kenny's wife Gloria, Butterball Bowens wife Ruth and Bill Kenny's infamous wife Marguerite. Song is "Ask Anyone Who Knows (1947).

[@aedanclarke]

Y'know, watching the couples dancing really got to me. I think it's because it's not like watching some celebrities from a bygone era, instead... you're looking at these moments in time in the lives of ordinary people. As I looked at this people, I wonder who they were, what become of them, how they looked when they became older, if any are even still alive, though very old. Then it hit me that this used to be the present. And one day, people will look back on today and see similar moments, and wonder the same questions. Well, got really existential there...

[@jeremiahblond5091]

thats deep bro

[@poopfool7915]

i think all those people were most likely 100% rich and white and prob rasict

[@no.8466]

Like whoa dude... woooa 🤯

[@raphaelbernard7954]

I hope more live footage of the Ink Spots are uncovered.

[@ConorRegan-zx2to]

me too :(

[@jonnynguyen6246]

The wife on the far right looked so modern and the one in the middle sounded so modern, was really surprised. And the movement of the camera in the ballroom almost convinced me this had to be some 90s reconstruction. It's the little things about the past that can be the most exciting. What a gift to have this footage.

[@davidmaslow399]

I played with Them some years ago. Just Wonderful! Memories

[@Mrwolfodude]

Cool, thanks for posting this. It's drastically under-appreciated.

[@nickrazo6283]

All 27 of us who commented, really just vibing

[@stephaneroze412]

Thank you Austin for your videos.

[@aaronrecordsgomez6636]

The film itself is amazing with glamour and the people dancing well dressed up when one time in time this was the peak of a once upon a time life was good like in the stories of a tale, and the wives very beautiful gorgeous. Gracias por el film.😍☹✌

[@Cinbags]

So beautiful, yet somewhat upsetting to see the contrast between those times and the world we’re living in today..

[@simplelife88393]

Amazing footage thanks for sharing

[@theodorezuckerman7643]

Wow. Wonderful.

[@cowprint66]

So hard to believe that all these people existed

[@eggskrodi5222]

This video made me cry

[@andrew2nasty867]

Shows your human

[@brandontruszkowski9870]

Great video! Thank you for sharing!

[@ceemarie7317]

thank you for posting these great videos!

[@timothyhughes1904]

Wonderful footage of the wives

[@tomperry2633]

Those people are probably all dead with maybe a handful of exceptions. That's very sad

[@dilksjoel]

Tom Perry But look how happy they we’re in the present

[@someguy2744]

@@dilksjoel Some of them didn't seem very happy. Maybe, they're camera shy. I've certainly looked weird/awkward in a picture more than once.

[@andrew2nasty867]

​@@someguy2744the world war just ended 2 years

[@someguy2744]

​@@andrew2nasty867 I was gonna say that they are an American band, but considering that they were performing in London (according to the description), you very well may have a point.

[@tashacad1]

We all die that's inevitable but they were the greatest singers of all time and even now in 2024 that's how far they have reached even after there death that's just wonderful ❤

[@judymeeker2925]

How did I miss this? Or did I? One of my favorite groups even as a teenager. ❤.

[@robfut9954]

Their wives were so much classier and better spoken than the wives of musicians today. It’s wild how things have degraded.

[@dionmorgan5299]

💕 all over the 🌎

[@ediatmelb]

Love them!

[@georgeklimes7604]

Thanks for posting this.

[@CountryZorro]

What beautiful ladies inside and out.wowee.

[@williamschlenger1518]

The wives were beautiful.

[@drmether9150]

It’s hard to grasp that they’re all ghosts now…

[@missbritt288]

Ghost of the past , to think most of the people in this video are dead now.

[@mr.inbetween5957]

R.I.P. The Ink Spots

[@MelancholyRequiem]

2:04 Bill Kenny ended up divorcing and sueing Mrs. Marguerite Kenny after he found out she had adopted the child she claimed was his in order to collect support money from him.

[@AustinCasey]

She then married the baseball legend Willie Mayes who just passed away a couple days ago. Most of her marriages were short lived.

[@AustinCasey]

And for more trivia, Gloria died VERY young... like 1-5 years after this 1947 video. I believe she and Herb were legally married but separated. I need to revisit my research. And Ruth Bowen became a pioneer in the industry for managing some legendary artists. Google Ruth Bowen, there's a ton of info on her. Much more famous than her husband ever was!

[@randroid4504]

0:37 i wonder what they're singing here! never heard of a song in which butterball bowen sings lead

[@AustinCasey]

When I uploaded this I couldn't figure it out myself. It very well could be a tune they never recorded, possibly an old standard or a contemporary hit at the time. But BK definitely starts out and lead ballad style then Bowen takes the 2nd chorus uptempo.

[@AustinCasey]

You know what? I'm pretty sure it's "Maybe"! Slowing it down x50 and watching Fuquas left hand on Guitar, I'm 99% it's "Maybe". I'm glad you reminded me of this. Mystery solved!

[@CPorter]

what song are they actually singing in the footage?

[@AustinCasey]

I tried to figure that out a couple years ago and couldn't. Of course there's no audio in the original footage so you have to read lips and look at the songs they were performing around this time to make a good guess. I just tried again right now and I still have no clue.

[@CPorter]

now thinking back on it, the year is 1947, in England, and if i remember correctly their biggest U.K. hit was Bless you, so maybe its that or any of the other 7 sang at that concert

[@goldendreams3437]

I don't want to set the world on fire... maybe

[@jaywhofan]

@@AustinCasey I'm pretty sure Bill Kenny is saying the words "for when" at 9-10 seconds in, maybe I'd Climb The Highest Mountain?

[@kareemsaliba2584]

The song is "Ask anyone who knows"

[@Elvis-Pelvis03]

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@thecorner5310]

bruh..