Billy Bissett & Alice Mann reminisce with Alan Dell - July 1982
Here is a rare radio moment which I captured on cassette tape a long time ago, but one which will interest devotees of the Golden Age of British Dance Bands.
Billy Bissett, or Billy Bishop as he became in the USA, was one of the bandleaders who had residencies at three legendary London venues; namely the Savoy Hotel, the May Fair Hotel, and the Cafe de Paris between 1936 and 1939. Sadly, he made only eight recordings for HMV, but they show off his orchestra well and delightfully so.
Alice Mann was, in my opinion, amongst the top singers at the time. She toured with the famous Jack Hylton Orchestra and made a few fine recordings with him. She appears on record with Billy Bissett, her husband, as well as with bands led by George Scott Wood, Freddy Gardner and Ronnie Munro. However, like her husband, she left far too few examples of her work.
They were back in London in July 1982 and held a lunch for some of those musicians they worked with back in the 1930s. An account of this occasion is included in the video, taken from The Golden Years, a magazine for enthusiasts of that era in popular music. Ron Olver's account appeared in the October 1982 edition, followed by some comments by Billy himself in the January 1983 edition. They accompany the soundtrack as do other images I have looked out.
Billy and Alice returned for a final reunion, and lunch, in London in 1985 from their home in Poway, California and a year later I wrote to them at their home in the USA and received a lovely handwritten letter from Billy as well as signed photos, which I include here.
This interview by the late great Alan Dell is a delight from beginning to end; and a useful piece or oral history about a time long gone. I believe the actual recording was made on 21st July 1982 and broadcast seven days later.
Watch video Billy Bissett & Alice Mann reminisce with Alan Dell - July 1982 online, duration online in high quality that is uploaded to the channel Panachord 28 January 2018. Share the link to the video on social media so that your subscribers and friends will also watch this video. This video clip has been viewed 593 times and liked it 23 visitors.
