Background
Garber was born in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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January Garber
Edit Profileconductor bandleader jazz musician
Career
He had his own band by the time he was 21 (around 1917). He became known as "The Idol of the Airwaves" in his heyday of the 1920s and 1930s, playing jazz in the vein of contemporaries such as Guy Lombardo. Garber played violin with the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra after World War I and formed the Garber-Davis Orchestra with pianist Milton Davis from 1921–1924.
After parting with Davis, he formed his own orchestra, playing both "sweet" and "hot" 1920s dance music
He was hit hard by the Great Depression, and in the 1930s, he refashioned his ensemble into a big band and recorded a string of successful records for Victor. During World World War II, Garber began playing swing jazz, a rather unexpected turn.
His arranger during this time was Gray Rains and his vocalist was Liz Tilton. The recording restrictions in America during the war eventually made his ensemble unfeasible, and he returned to "sweet" music after the war, continuing to lead ensembles until 1971.
His last show was in Houston.
Garber died in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1977 after having been ill for a length of time. Called the "Idol of the Airwaves," Garber was active on radio in the 1920s and 1930s. The table below shows some of his broadcasting activities.
Garber also had a 15-minute, five-days-a-week radio program, the January Garber Show.
lieutenant was distributed by Capitol Transcriptions. He appeared numerous times on the Burns and Allen radio show.
Bob Davis (singer)
Verne Byers (bass)
Julio Maro (singer)
Steve Brooks (singer)
Janis M. Garber (daughter/singer. Aka Kitty Thomas)
Freddie Large (saxophone, from 1932)
Frank Macauley (bass, from 1934)
Loren Holding (saxophone)
Jack Gifford (singer)
Thelma Gracen (singer)
Julie Vernon (singer)
Bob Hames (guitar)
Don Cherry (singer)
Frank Bettencourt (trombone, conductor & arranger)
Douglas Roe (piano)
Garber moved with his family from Indianapolis to Louisville, Kentucky when he was three months old, and lived there until he was 13.
The family then moved to a small town near Philadelphia.
He was the tenth of 12 children. Garber studied Violin at Combs Conservatory in Philadelphia. Wife – Dorothy Comegys (born November 4, 1907, Shreveport, Los Los Angeles
Married Garber December 18, 1926.
Died January 27, 2001, Shreveport, Los Angeles)
Daughter – Janis Garber (singer, in Las Vegas)
Brother – Myron Garber
Brother – David South. Garber
Brother - Max Garber.
