Ray Eberle
| Ray Eberle | |
|---|---|
Eberle in 1960.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Raymond Eberle |
| Born |
January 19, 1919 Mechanicville, New York, U.S. |
| Died | August 25, 1979 (aged 60) Douglasville, Georgia, U.S. |
| Genres | Big band, swing, Traditional Pop |
| Occupation(s) | singer |
| Instruments | vocals |
| Years active | 1938 - 1979 |
| Associated acts |
Glenn Miller Orchestra Tex Beneke Marion Hutton |
Raymond "Ray" Eberle (born January 19, 1919, Mechanicville, New York – died August 25, 1979, Douglasville, Georgia) was a vocalist during the Big Band Era. Eberle sang with the Glenn Miller Orchestra.
Eberle was born in Mechanicville, Saratoga County, New York. His father, John A. Eberle, was a local policeman, sign-painter, and publican (tavern-keeper). His elder brother was Big Band singer, Bob Eberly, who sang with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. Ray started singing in his teens, with no formal training. In 1938, Glenn Miller, who was looking for a male vocalist for his big band, asked Eberly if he had any siblings at home who could sing. Bob said "yes", and Ray was hired on the spot.
Eberle recalled walking by a table when his similar looking brother was performing, and being stopped by Miller and invited to audition. Music critics and Miller's musicians were reportedly unhappy with Eberle's vocal style but Miller stuck with him.
Ray Eberle went on to find success with Miller, deeming the songs for Orchestra Wives, such as the jazz standard "At Last", to be among his favorites as there were songs he could "sink my teeth into, and make a story out of". He appeared in the Twentieth Century Fox movies, Sun Valley Serenade (1941) and Orchestra Wives (1942).
He made several Universal films, including Mister Big, making a cameo appearance as himself. Eberle mostly sang ballads. He led his own orchestra called, The Ray Eberle Orchestra as well as the Serenade In Blue Orchestra from 1943 and maintained his band until his death in 1979. From 1940-43 he did well on Billboard (magazine)'s "College Poll" for male vocalist. He also appeared on numerous television variety shows in the 1950s and 1960s.
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