Jack Lathrop

John Marcus Lathrop (May 11, 1913 – January 9, 1987) was an American vocalist and guitarist with the Tune Twisters, Glenn Miller, and Hal McIntyre. Beginning around 1947, Lathrop was leader of the Drug Store Cowboys.

Early life Lathrop was born in Sherburne, New York. His parents, Margaret Lathrop (née Margaret Lowell; 1893–1958) and John Marcos Lathrop (1891–1974) were married May 28, 1912, in Manhattan. According to the 1920 US Census, his mother was divorced; and in 1920, he, his sister Kathryn (1914–1962), and his mother lived with his widowed maternal grandmother, Kittie Isabel Lowell (née Kittie Isabel Purdy; 1863–1938), who owned and ran a private boarding house in White Plains, New York.

Career Guitarist and vocalist in combos and big bands Tune Twisters In the mid 1930s, Lathrop was one of founding members of the Tune Twisters, a swing jazz vocal trio originally composed of Andy Love (1911–1982), Robert Wacker (1909–1985), and himself. The Tune Twisters were featured on radio broadcasts and also recorded and performed with jazz artists that included Ray Noble in 1935 (with Noble, the Tune Twisters were initially known as "The Freshmen"), Bob Crosby in 1935, Glenn Miller in 1937, and Adrian Rollini in 1938. Lathrop performed with the Tune Twisters in the 1937 Broadway production, Between the Devil. They sang the song "Triplets." The production ran from December 22, 1937, to March 12, 1938 (93 performances). During the audition, the Tune Twisters were known as the Savoy Club Boys. Lathrop was a member of the Tune Twisters in 1938 when they recorded the first radio jingle of its kind for Pepsi – "Pepsi-Cola Hits the Spot" (aka "Nickel, Nickel"). Lathrop was replaced around 1940 by Gene Lanham (né Eugene Prentiss Lanham; 1915–1977). The trio also performed in two 1935 films, Sweet Surrender and Melody Magic, directed by Fred Waller.

Big bands Lathrop co-wrote the song "It's Anybody's Moon" with Jimmy Dorsey and Eddie DeLange in 1939. Dorsey and His Orchestra, with Bob Eberly as vocalist, recorded it February 21, 1939, in New York and Decca released it as a 78 rpm B side single (matrix 65052-A; catalog # 2322).

Glenn Miller Lathrop was guitarist and vocalist with Glenn Miller from 1940 to 1942. While a member, Lathrop composed "Helpless", featuring vocals by Ray Eberle, and "Long Time No See, Baby", featuring vocals by Marion Hutton, which were released as 78 rpm singles on RCA.

Solo artist Jack Lathrop With The Drugstore Cowboys Lathrop's first release with RCA Victor, the 78 single 20-3109, his first charting hit as a solo artist, was "Hair of Gold" released in 1948. This song was written by Sunny Skylar and first recorded by vocalist Jack Emerson (né Abraham Jacob Melamerson; 1920–2014) on Metrotone Records,