Biography

Kenny Sargent (March 3, 1909 - December 20, 1969) was jazz vocalist and saxophonist, primarily known for his work with the Casa Loma Orchestra in the 1930's and 40's. Sargent was the Casa Loma Orchestra's primary vocalist in the late 1930s and early 40s. He also played the saxophone with the band, recording many well known ballads. "Talk of the Town" was very high on the National charts and Kenny was the singer associated with it by all. Another popular song associated with him was "City Called Heaven". He left the orchestra band in 1943 to begin a career as a disc jockey. He was a disc jockey at WHHM in Memphis, Tennessee.. He later was a well known radio personality in the Dallas, Texas area at radio stations KLIF and WRR in the 1950s and 1960s. During the early 1960s, Mr. Sargent had an all-night radio program in Dallas that was sponsored by American Airlines. He would sign on every evening with the muted sound of an airliner's engines winding up and taking off into the night, followed by his verbal signature "American Airlines greets you with 'Music . . .[and there would be a long pause] . . . 'til Dawn". Then the theme song "That's All" would come on in the background while he made some introductory remarks. Frequently, and often early in the program, he would respond to a "request" to spin the recording of the great rendition of "For You" that he recorded with Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra. "I would gather stars/Out of the blue/For you, for you./I'd make a string of pearls/Out of the dew/For you, for you . . ." And that last "you" would rise up and seemingly go over the top of a high mountain before settling gently back down on pitch. He had a smooth, high-ranging singing voice, and a very soothing speaking voice that was easy to fall asleep listening to.