Louise Tobin

Mary Louise Tobin (November 11, 1918 – November 26, 2022) was an American jazz singer and musician. She appeared with Benny Goodman, Bobby Hackett, Will Bradley, and Jack Jenney. Tobin introduced "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" with Goodman's band in 1939. Her biggest hit with Goodman was "There'll Be Some Changes Made", which was number two on Your Hit Parade in 1941 for 15 weeks. Tobin was the first wife of trumpeter and bandleader Harry James, with whom she had two sons.

Early years The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Tobin, she was born in Aubrey, Texas on November 11, 1918, but moved with her family to Denton, Texas, after her father died. Tobin began singing at Denton High School when she was 14 years old. At the age of 16, on May 4, 1935, she married 19-year-old Harry James, who was also playing locally. They had two sons: Harry (born 1941) and Jerin Timothyray "Tim" James (born March 21, 1942). Tobin brought Frank Sinatra to James' attention in 1939 after hearing Sinatra sing on the radio. James subsequently signed Sinatra to a one-year contract at $75 a week.

While Tobin was singing with Bobby Hackett's band at Nick's in Greenwich Village, jazz critic and producer John Hammond heard her and brought Benny Goodman to a performance of hers. Tobin soon joined the Goodman band and went on to record "There'll Be Some Changes Made", "Scatterbrain", "Comes Love", "Love Never Went to College", "What's New?", and "Blue Orchids" with Goodman. Johnny Mercer wrote "Louise Tobin Blues" especially for her while she was with the group. It was arranged by Fletcher Henderson.

In 1940, Tobin recorded "Deed I Do" and "Don't Let It Get You Down", with Will Bradley and His Orchestra. Tobin and James were divorced May 1943 in Juárez, Mexico.

In 1945, she recorded "All through the Day" with Tommy Jones and His Orchestra, and "June Comes Every Year" with Emil Coleman and His Orchestra. In 1946, she performed with Skippy Anderson's Band at the Melodee Club in Los Angeles, and, in 1950, she recorded "Sunny Disposish" with Ziggy Elman and His Orchestra.

After a long hiatus spent raising her two boys, Tobin accepted an invitation from jazz critic and publisher George Simon to sing at the 1962 Newport Jazz Festival, where she met her future husband, clarinetist Peanuts Hucko.

Tobin was featured on the jazz program "Hot Jazz Saturday Night" just three weeks before she died.

Death Tobin died at the home of her granddaughter in Carrollton, Texas on November 26, 2022, aged 104.

Selected performance affiliations Vocalist 1934: Interstate Theater Circuit, Dallas 1935: Art Hicks Band, Dallas and Arlington, Texas 1937: Ben Pollack Band 1938: Bobby Hackett Band, Jack Jenney Band, New York City 1939: Will Bradley — Ray McKinley, Harry James Band, New York City and Massachusetts 1939: Benny Goodman Band, New York City and on tour 1945: Ziggy Elman Band, Los Angeles 1974: Glenn Miller Band 1962–1998: Peanuts Hucko (husband)