Vote for Mr. Rhythm

Abstract In early 1937, Ella Fitzgerald was getting acclaimed by entertainment reporters and the jazz press, Black and white; in November 1937 she was voted the Number One Female Vocalist in readers’ polls. Helen Oakley moved to New York to work for Duke Ellington’s manager, Irving Mills, who started two new record labels. She became producer for the Variety label, and asked Webb to be drummer for a few sessions. She did publicity work for Webb and his band in 1937–38. Band battles were still a big attraction at the Savoy Ballroom, where Webb’s band was almost always the winner. In February and March 1937 Webb’s band “battled” the orchestras of Henderson and Ellington, and Webb was “out-swung” by Ellington’s band. Oakley decided to stage a huge publicity event for Webb and set up a battle at the Savoy between Webb’s band and Benny Goodman’s. The Webb-Goodman “battle of the bands” was May 11, 1937, and took on legendary status almost immediately.