Kenny Gardner, You're Hired!

Friday Nite [ 22 Feb 2013 ]

In our phone call I said that I was going to tell you about my early childhood schooling. Am gonna change my mind. And will tell you more about Kenny Gardner.

It goes back to 1943. I was a CAPT and Kenny a Lieutenant. We were both at Fort Benning, GA awaiting assignment to a unit which was going overseas. Instead we were assigned to an ASTP (Army Student Training Program) where we were to give them three months Basic Training and then we would go overseas.

Kenny and I were in separate (but adjoining) units so we ate in the same Mess Halls (where we eat) and lived in rooms in the same BOQs (Bachelor Officer Quarters). So, after the evening meal we would often gather in the Day Room (informal gathering place with radio, books, etc.) to talk, get acquainted, etc. Kenny and I got talking, became friends, etc. One nite after sitting down in the Day Room Kenny told me about how he wound up in the Guy Lombardo Band.

It seems that he was a Neer-do-well in New York with little or no employment and no future. He got to stopping at a coffee shop and knew a waitress by her first name. One day she said to him "Kenny you are not amounting to anything. You have to get a job!!!" His reply was "What? Me get a job? What can I do?". Her reply was, "Kenny, you can sing". His reply was "So I can sing. So what?" Her reply was "Kenny, THE band is across the street at the Roosevelt Hotel". His question was, "And WHO is this band?" Her reply was "It's Guy Lombardo". His reply was "OK, I'm off".

And so he went across the street and walked into the Roosevelt Hotel where Guy Lombardo and his band were practicing in the ballroom. Lombardo was facing the band. Kenny walked up behind him and tapped him on the should saying "I want a job". Lombardo turned and asked him "What can you do?" Kenny said, "I can sing." The band stopped playing and Lombardo motioned to Kenny that he step up to the microphone. Kenny started the band to play again and he started singing. He sang three songs and stepped away from the microphone. Lombardo stepped forward, shook Kenny's hand and said, "You are hired".

And so started Kenny Gardner's career with the Guy Lombardo Band.

After the way he married Guy Lombardo's sister.

I saw him twice after the war. Once at a big hotel in New York. Another time at the Sunnybrook Ballroom near Pottstown. Between songs we sat on the sideline and talked "old times". He was "down to earth" and we both have much for which to be thankful.

Happy 69th Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary to Colonel and Sara 

on their 69 years of marriage!

Busch Newspaper Wedding Announcement

Here is the original newspaper article announcing the Busch-Baldwin marriage! 

Write up enlarged:

How They Met - Original Article!

 Here is a look at the original newspaper article, where Colonel and Sara met shooting this picture!

Colonel and Sara

Elementary Years

1940's Photoshop

That is actually two photographs. I took it on a 16 millimeter camera. That was my sophomore year at Penn State College.

I covered half of the camera, sat a the table and exposed only one half of the lens. I covered it with something, I don’t remember. Then I moved around to the other side of the desk, didn’t move the camera. And opened up the other side of the lens and exposed it! That way there are two pictures taken at the same location, same person. 

I took the roll of film to the local drug store. Nothing was developed locally, it was all sent away.

It was possible to put both of those exposures on one exposure, in other words. I took half a picture, and then it was possible on the camera to expose the other half of that particular exposure. In other words, the roll had 20 exposure and you took all 20 on the roll. And then you reversed it all the way to the beginning and took it to the drug store to be printed. So it was printed according to today’s standards. It went from there to the typical 35 millimeter, which was also a roll of film. And you could get 20 exposures or 36 exposures on that roll. 

Twenty years from now, people will be saying it is so funny to be putting them on a computer!

Colonel and Bill

Colonel playing in the yard with his son, Bill.

Camp Hill Special School

Below: Colonel at the Camp Hill Special School in Glenmoore, one of many organizations that he has been heavily involved in a development aspect. 

2012 Christmas Mass

 Below: Colonel and Sara at Christmas Mass at the Grove United Methodist Church.