Gail Reese (August 15, 1917 – April 13, 1998) was a big band vocalist during the 1930’s who although singing with some of the well known band leaders, never reached the popularity, fame or fortune as others from the same era.
Unfortunately there are many of the big band singers who although prolific in their recordings seem to bloom then suddenly as they appear they vanish without trace and hardly if all get a mention in the annals of popular music. Gail Reese sadly falls into this category. I have found many recordings of Gail yet she is only mentioned but a few times on the web.
Her internet trail starts when she is mentioned as being born as Virginia Vieser. Some sources give 1917 as her birth year and some 1924. There is no record of her early life or how she came into the music business, but by 1935 we find her singing with trombonist Mike Durso’s orchestra and nearly a year long association with Bunny Berigan in 1937.
She was with Glenn Miller during the summer of 1938 and was featured on the band’s first radio broadcasts over NBC from the Paradise Restaurant in New York City. Gail was replaced in September of ‘38 by Marion Hutton. In a program from June 20, 1938 Gail is heard on three songs: Why’d Ya Make Me Fall In Love, Doin’ The Jive and How Can You Forget. Coincidentally, Durso by that time had given up his band and was playing with Vincent Lopez, from whom Miller signed Hutton.
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| Gail Reese with Glenn Miller's Orchestra |
And that dear music lovers is all the information you get. Some critics say that Reese just lacked the musical assurance that the other song thrushes had and perhaps called it a day. I can only assume that she may of married and left the business for family life as some did, hence the sudden end of her career. Who can tell? The last news found was the announcement of her death on 13th April 1998 in a comment by on a Glen Miller YouTube posting. No other confirmation found. Any other information will be greatly appreciated.
(Edited mainly from Band Chirps & Barry Papiernik)