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In the absence of regular emcee Ernie Whitman, a substitute announcer steps in to take over hosting duties. While he lacks Whitman’s iconic jive presence, the guest host—alternately referred to as Ralph or Bob—handles the slangy dialogue surprisingly well.
Count Basie kicks off the show with an energetic rendition of “Woodchopper’s Ball” before bringing vocalist Jimmy Rushing to the microphone for “Baby Won’t You Please Come Home.” Next, pianist Teddy Wilson reads greetings from the mailbag before swinging into “B-Flat Swing” and “Feeling Good.”
Thelma Carpenter takes the stage to dedicate “Do Nothin’ Till You Hear from Me,” followed by Earl Warren singing “Don’t Believe Everything You Dream.” After another round of listener mail, Count Basie returns to close out the performance with “I Found a New Baby” before sharing a few parting words with the host.
