Musician. Widely billed as Jimmy "Dancin' Shoes" Palmer, this band leader was also an accomplished vocalist and trumpet player. As a singer he won a Paul Whiteman contest while still at high school. His reward was a radio contract with the KDKA station in Pittsburgh. This led to a temporary then permanent placement as featured vocalist with the Dick Stabile band. He subsequently worked with Blue Barron, Bobby Byrne, Les Brown and Lou Breese, though he later returned to Stabile. He would take over leadership of that orchestra when Stabile entered the services. He finally formed his own dance band after the end of the war in 1945 in New York City. As well as his own vocals, this aggregation featured singing from Thelma Gracen, Julio Maro, and Larry Dean, with their longest engagement being one of over five years at the Hilton Hotel in Chicago. They also appeared at the Chase Hotel, the Muehlbach, the Claridge, the Peabody, and the Roosevelt in New Orleans - effectively the best of the Midwest dance band circuit venues. There were also forays west (the Hollywood Palladium) and east (the Roosevelt Grill and Roseland Ballroom in New York). He remained active throughout the 1960s and 70s, especially in Chicago, where his theme tune, "Dancin' Shoes," was still regularly aired at dance halls and private parties.
Musician. Widely billed as Jimmy "Dancin' Shoes" Palmer, this band leader was also an accomplished vocalist and trumpet player. As a singer he won a Paul Whiteman contest while still at high school. His reward was a radio contract with the KDKA station in Pittsburgh. This led to a temporary then permanent placement as featured vocalist with the Dick Stabile band. He subsequently worked with Blue Barron, Bobby Byrne, Les Brown and Lou Breese, though he later returned to Stabile. He would take over leadership of that orchestra when Stabile entered the services. He finally formed his own dance band after the end of the war in 1945 in New York City. As well as his own vocals, this aggregation featured singing from Thelma Gracen, Julio Maro, and Larry Dean, with their longest engagement being one of over five years at the Hilton Hotel in Chicago. They also appeared at the Chase Hotel, the Muehlbach, the Claridge, the Peabody, and the Roosevelt in New Orleans - effectively the best of the Midwest dance band circuit venues. There were also forays west (the Hollywood Palladium) and east (the Roosevelt Grill and Roseland Ballroom in New York). He remained active throughout the 1960s and 70s, especially in Chicago, where his theme tune, "Dancin' Shoes," was still regularly aired at dance halls and private parties.
Bio by: Karen R
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