Anybody own DUKE ELLINGTON DAY BY DAY, FILM BY FILM?

[ghost of miles]

I knew that I should've bought this book a few months ago! It's going on my Christmas wish list... if anybody here has the book, would it be possible to check on a Betty Roche question for me? I'm trying to determine when she joined Ellington around the end of 1942... some sources credit the January 1943 Carnegie Hall concert as her debut date with Ellington, but I'm pretty sure that's not true. Does DAY BY DAY mention her appearing at any gigs with Ellington in December 1942? (Apparently the month that she joined the band.) Carnegie Hall was Jan. 23, 1943... I'm thinking she surely had performed with Duke before then.

Thanks much in advance!

[brownie]

GoM, Betty Roche is first mentioned in the Day By Day book when Ellington tried a trio of girls (Phyllis Smiley, Joya Sherrill and Roche) as Ivie Anderson left the band in August 1942 during an appearance at Chicago's Hotel Sherman.

'Betty Roché, the only one of the trio to stay, had previously worked with the Savoy Sultans...'

The book mentions her as singing with the band on August 21, 1942 at the Chicago Oriental Theater.

[medjuck]

Stratemann has her joining the band in August of '42 . He replaced ivie Anderson with "a trio of girls. Phyllis Smiley, Joya Sherrill, Betty Roche." Smiley left shortly after, and Sherrill went back to school in the fall, leaving only Roche.

On the other hand, the New Desor claims she joined in September '42.

Edited August 23, 2006 by medjuck