101 Strings

101 Strings
101 Strings
	Promotional copy of first 101 Strings album, 1957
Background information
Genres	Easy listening
Years active	1957–1981
Labels	Essex Records, Somerset, Alshire

101 Strings Orchestra was the brand for a highly successful easy listening symphonic music organization, with a discography exceeding 150 albums and a creative lifetime of around 30 years beginning in 1957. 101 Strings had a trademark sound, focusing on melody with a laid-back ambiance most often featuring strings.^[1] Its LPs were individualized by the slogan "The Sound of Magnificence", a puffy cloud logo and sepia-toned photo of the orchestra.^[2] The 101 Strings orchestra included 124 string instruments, and was conducted by Wilhelm Stephan. The orchestra's famous official photograph was taken in the Musikhalle Hamburg.^[3]

History

Miller and rock and roll

Record label mogul David L. Miller came to prominence by releasing the first Bill Haley & His Comets’ records in 1952–1953 on his own Essex label (followed by Trans-World, then Somerset Records).^[3] In this capacity, Miller played a role in the creation of rock and roll.

Miller and 101 Strings

Following the rise of easy listening (practitioners of which included Mantovani and Jackie Gleason Presents), Miller subcontracted the Orchester des Nordwestdeutschen Rundfunks Hamburg (the Northwest German Radio Orchestra of Hamburg) conducted by Wilhelm Stephan to play in-house arrangements of popular standards.^[3] The first three 101 Strings albums were released in November 1957, and twelve more titles were released in 1958 (many of which featured recycled material from earlier albums attributed to the New World Orchestra, Rio Carnival Orchestra, and other light music orchestras). These records were pressed by Miller's own plants and released through his own distribution channels (such as grocery stores).

His core staff arrangers were Monty Kelly, Joseph Francis Kuhn, and Robert Lowden. All three proved adept at writing original compositions that were stylistically consistent both with contemporary hit songs and each other. Miller placed these on 101 Strings albums to provide additional publishing revenues.

Kelly's earliest successes were Latin and Spanish travelogues (such as the "Soul of Spain" series), although he became 101 Strings' "Now Sound" specialist following the British Invasion. Kuhn concentrated on radio-friendly numbers in the "Pops"'s orchestral manner ("Blues Pizzicato", etc.) which provided Somerset its initial catalog of originals. Lowden composed lounge ballads (such as "Blue Twilight"). The orchestra's body of early 1960s work, including recordings under the names of the Cinema Sound Stage Orchestra and the Zero Zero Seven Band, was recycled via re-release throughout the next twenty years.

Sherman and 101 Strings

In 1964, Miller sold the franchise to Al Sherman, a successful record label distributor, who renamed the label Alshire (based in Los Angeles) and moved recording to London. Sherman retained Miller as a partner to oversee production and A&R. The Alshire era is characterized by large-scale expansion of product, attempts to branch out to younger markets and beginning in 1969, eventual stagnation (although late efforts by Les Baxter and Nelson Riddle were released under the 101 Strings name in 1970's). Output decreased from 1974 on. A tribute to John Lennon (composed of earlier Beatle tribute material – 101 Strings play Hits written by The Beatles) in January 1981 marked the final 101 Strings effort.

Many 101 Strings albums are simply orchestrated versions of pop hits and show tunes, although the early Somerset material contains many examples of the exotica and lounge genres. East of Suez (1959), In a Hawaiian Paradise (1960), and Songs of the Seasons in Japan (1964) are three such albums. 101 Strings Play the Blues (1958) and Back Beat Symphony were early experiments in symphonic-pop hybridization, while Fly Me to the Moon (1961) contains five noir-ish originals. Alshire releases include ‘Now Sound’ albums such as The Sounds and Songs of the Jet Set (1965), Sounds of Today (1967), and Astro-Sounds from Beyond the Year 2000 (1969), the last of which has been frequently sampled by electronic music artists of the 1990s and 2000s (decade).

Current ownership

The current owner is Countdown Media, a subsidiary of BMG Rights Management.^[4]^[5]

Sales

In the 24 years of its existence, 101 Strings sold more than 50,000,000 records worldwide.^[6]

Chart hits

The orchestra had five hit albums in the UK, including one number one.^[7]

Gypsy Campfires (1958) #9
The Soul of Spain (1958) #17
Ferde Grofe's Grand Canyon Suite (1958) #10
Down Drury Lane to Memory Lane (1960) #1
Morning Noon and Night (1983) #32

Discography

Original releases during the group's existence from 1957 to 1981. Subsequent releases under the 101 Strings name consist of rereleases, compilations, and material licensed from other performers and are not included.

101 Key Mortier Dance Organ, St. Albans Organ Museum (1964)
101 Strings and The Alshire Singers Do the Dolly Parton Songbook (1979)
101 Strings Featuring Hits Made Famous by The Supremes (1968)
101 Strings Goes Disco (1979)
101 Strings in a Hawaiian Paradise (1960)
101 Strings in a Symphony for Lovers (1957)
101 Strings in the 50's Style Volume 2 (1977) (disc label reads Hits of the 50's - Vol II)
101 Strings in the 60's Style Volume 2 (1977)
101 Strings Orchestra and Chorus Play and Sing Hits of Today and Other Hit Instrumentals (1976)
101 Strings Orchestra Featuring The Alshire Singers Play & Sing the Songs of The Carpenters (1976)
101 Strings Orchestra Play & Sing the Songs Made Famous by... Elton John (1976)
101 Strings Orchestra Play & Sing the Songs Made Famous by... John Denver (1976)
101 Strings Orchestra Play & Sing the Songs Made Famous by... Olivia Newton John (1976)
101 Strings Orchestra Play Big Hits of Today (1976)
101 Strings Orchestra Play Burt Bacharach and Other Original Songs (1976)
101 Strings Orchestra Play Jim Webb and Other Original Songs (1976)
101 Strings Orchestra Plays Songs Written by Carole King (1972) (disc label reads A Portrait of Carole)
101 Strings Orchestra Plays Movie Themes and Other Songs (1973)
101 Strings Orchestra Plus The Alshire Singers Play & Sing the Songs of The Beach Boys (1976)
101 Strings Play a Program of Duke Ellington Compositions and Other Selection - In Tribute (1974)
101 Strings Play a Tribute to Bing Crosby (1978)
101 Strings Play Hit American Waltzes (1958)
101 Strings Play Hit Songs from Finian's Rainbow Funny Girl Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1969)
101 Strings Play Hits Made Famous by Nat King Cole (1969)
101 Strings Play Hits Written by The Beatles (1968)
101 Strings Play Hits from Pal Joey (1958) (back cover adds and The Red Mill)
101 Strings Play Love Is Blue (1968)
101 Strings Play Million Seller Hits – Volume 1 (1967)
101 Strings Play Million Seller Hits – Volume 2 (1967)
101 Strings Play Million Seller Hits – Volume 3 (1967)
101 Strings Play Million Seller Hits – Volume 4 (1972)
101 Strings Play Million Seller Hits of Today (1969)
101 Strings Play Million Seller Hits of Today written by Simon and Garfunkel (1969)
101 Strings Play Million Seller Movie Themes Latin Style (1972) (originally released in 1961 as Hit Movie Themes Go Latin credited to Orchestra del Oro)
101 Strings Play More Hits of Today and Other Original Hits (1977)
101 Strings Play More Million Sellers and Original Scores (1974)
101 Strings Play Music from Oliver! and Other Original English Melodies (1969)
101 Strings Play Music from the Paramount Picture Paint Your Wagon (1969)
101 Strings Play One Tin Soldier and Other Hits (1973) (title from back cover; front cover lists entire contents)
101 Strings Play Romantic Songs of the Sea (1969)
101 Strings Play Some Hits Made Famous by Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder (1974)
101 Strings Play Songs for Lovers on a Summer Night (1969)
101 Strings Play Songs of England (1970)
101 Strings Play the Blues (1958)
101 Strings Play the Sugar & Spice of Rudolph Friml (1958)
101 Strings Play the World's Great Standards (1957)
101 Strings Play the World's Most Famous Continental Tangos (1969)
101 Strings Plays Hit Songs for Girls (1967)
101 Strings Plays Hits of Today (1969)
101 Strings Plays Songs of England (1970)
101 Strings Plus Accordion (1969)
101 Strings Plus Dynamic Percussion - An Experience in Sound (1972) (originally released in 1960 as Motion in Percussion and Orchestra credited to the Hollywood Pops Orchestra)
101 Strings Plus Guitars (1972)
101 Strings Plus Guitars Galore (1966)
101 Strings Plus Guitars Galore, Volume 2 (1969)
101 Strings Plus One (1969)
101 Strings Plus the Sensuous Sounds of the Trumpet (1972) (originally released in 1958 as I'm in the Mood credited to Billy Butterfield and His Orchestra)
101 Strings Plus Trumpet (1969)
101 Strings under the Direction of Monty Kelly (1972) (album cover lists entire contents after 101 Strings Play)
101 Strings with Romantic Piano at Cocktail Time - featuring Pietro Dero (1972)
101 Strings with Twin Pianos – Million Seller Hits (1968)
101 Years of Familiar Songs America Loves (1960)
20's Style (1976)
25 Years of Show Hits (1960)
70's Style (1977) (back cover reads 101 Strings Orchestra Play in the 70's Style)
African Safari - The Activity and Excitement of an Actual Big Game Hunt! (1971)
After a Hard Day – Music to Relax By (1967) (back of cover reads Music to Relax By After a Hard Day; disc label reads 101 Strings Play Music to Relax By)
All about Love (1979)
All You Need Is Love (1976)
El Alma de Rusia (1967)
America in Song (1975) (title from disc label; front cover reads 101 Strings and Others Play America in Song)
Appointment in London (1974)
Around the World with 101 Strings/De Luxe (1970)
Around the World with the 101 Strings (1974)
Astro-Sounds from Beyond the Year 2000 (1968)
Award Hits from Broadway and Hollywood (1972)
Award Winning Scores from the Silver Screen (1958)
Award Winning Scores from the Silver Screen (1978) (different track list from 1958 album)
Back Beat Symphony (1961)
Best Known Themes from the World's Great Composers (1967)
Best Known Themes from the World's Great Composers (1967) (2-LP version; 2nd LP released in 1968 as Million Seller Themes from the Heart of Tchaikovsky)
The Best Loved Songs of Irving Berlin (1966)
Best Loved Waltzes - Johann Strauss, Jr. (1973)
Bicentennial Celebration: American Country Favorites (1975)
Bicentennial Celebration: American Holidays, The Blues of America (1975)
Bicentennial Celebration: American Marches, American Theatre (1975)
Bicentennial Celebration: American Waltzes, Gay Nineties Waltzes (1975)
Big Band Hits Vol. 1 (1973)
Big Band Hits Vol. 2 (1974)
Big Hits from Silver Screen (1975)
A Bridal Bouquet The World's Most Beautiful Wedding Songs (1958)
Broadway Cocktail Party (1960)
Camelot (1962)
Charles Baudelaire (1977)
Cole Porter (1965)
Come Sail with Me (1969)
Concert in Vienna (1968)
Concerto Under the Stars (1958) (rereleased as Concertos for Lovers)
Concertos U.S.A. (1966)
Country Music Hall of Fame (1972)
Day by Day (1973)
Discos de Oro (1971)
Down Drury Lane to Memory Lane (1960)
Down Memory Lane - For the Young at Heart (1972)
East of Suez (1959)
The Emotion of 101 Strings at Gypsy Campfires (1958)
Entertainment - Music from the Movies (1974)
Exodus and Other Great Movie Themes (1961)
The "Exotic" Sounds of Love (1970)
Family Pop Concert (1967)
Ferde Grofe's Grand Canyon Suite (1958)
Fiddler on the Roof (1972)
Fiesta Español (1966)
Fire and Romance of South America (1965)
The Fire and Romance of the Gypsies (1973)
Fuego y Romance de Ernesto Lecuona (1968)
Fly Me to the Moon (1961) (cover reads Songs When We're Alone... Fly Me to the Moon)
George Gershwin (1972)
Gigi and Other Romantic Selections (1972)
The Glory of Christmas (1958)
Gold Award Hits (1969)
The Golden Age of the Romantics (1973)
Golden Oldies of the 101 Strings (1973)
Golden Oldies Vol. 2 (1973)
Golden Oldies Vol. 3 (1973)
Gone but Not Forgotten (1972)
Greatest Hits of Ray Charles (1970)
Greatest Hits of the 101 Strings (1973)
Gypsy Campfires (1958)
Hank Williams & Other Country Greats (1972) (back cover reads Songs of Hank Williams and Other Country Greats)
Here Come the Birds (1968)
Hit Songs from Hit Movies (1971)
Hit Songs from Spain (1975)
Hit Songs Written by Bacharach and Webb (1972)
Hit Sounds - New and Old (1974)
Hits from the Rock Opera Jesus Christ Super Star and Other Original Songs (1972)
Hoagy Carmichael Duke Ellington (1972)
I Left My Heart in 101 Strings (1964) (Japanese release)
I Left My Heart in San Francisco (1964)
I Love Paris (1960)
Inspiration and Meditation (1962) (disc label reads "Songs of Inspiration and Meditation")
Instrumental Music from the Ross Hunter Production Lost Horizon and Other Selections (1972)
International Tangos (1974)
Invitation to Dreams (1964)
It's Love... That's All (1979)
Italian Hits (1961)
Japanese Folk Songs - 101 Strings Featuring the Shakuhachi (Bamboo Flute) with Katsuya Yokoyama (1972)
Je T'aime (1976)
John Philip Sousa George M. Cohan (1966)
Last Tango in Paris and Other Songs of Love (1973)
Love is Blue (L'Amour Est Bleu) (1967)
Love Theme (1976)
Lullabies for Baby (1969)
The Magic of Strings After Dark (1964) (disc label reads Strings After Dark)
The Magnificent Waltz (1972)
Man of La Mancha and Other Hits (1972)
The Many Moods of 101 Strings (this Bonus LP was "not for sale"; back cover reads "Library Selector - A program assembled to help you select a collection of magnificent '101 Strings' albums"; title also used for 3-LP compilation box set)
Melodies of Love (1976)
Million Dollar Movie Hits and Other Original Selections (1974)
Million Seller Broadway Hits (1973) (originally released in 1972 as Rodgers and Hart, orchestra not credited)
Million Seller Country Hits (1972)
Million Seller Hits (1971) (title on disc label reads More Million Seller Hits)
Million Seller Hits Arranged and Conducted by Les Baxter (1970)
Million Seller Hits from Paint Your Wagon My Fair Lady Camelot Gigi (1972)
Million Seller Hits from Porgy and Bess An American in Paris Rhapsody in Blue Swanee (1972)
Million Seller Hits from the Golden Age of the Bands (1967)
Million Seller Hit Songs of the 30's (1964)
Million-Seller Hit Songs of the 40's (1962)
Million-Seller Hit Songs of the 50's (1964?) (rereleased minus 2 tracks in 1976 as 50's Style)
Million Seller Hit Songs of the 60's (1963)
Million Seller Hits from Mexico (1967)
Million Seller Hits of 1966 (1966)
Million Seller Hits of 1969 (1969)
Million Seller Latin Dance Hits (1972)
Million Seller Hits of Today (1968)
Million Seller Movie Themes and Other Selections (1974)
Million Seller Themes from the Heart of Tchaikovsky (1968) (also released as 2nd LP in 2-LP version of Best Known Themes from the World's Great Composers)
Million Sellers from the Movies (1972)
Moon River (1976)
More Million Seller Hits of Today (1972)
More Movie Themes and Other Original Themes (1977)
Movie Hits and Other Romantic Songs (1972)
Movie Themes (1972)
Movie Themes - Arrangements by Les Baxter (1975)
Music from Doctor Zhivago with Other Favorite Russian Melodies (1972) (originally released in 1966 as Sound Track Music from Doctor Zhivago credited to the Cinema Sound Stage Orchestra)
Music from Fiddler on the Roof and Other Songs (1972)
Music from the Movies (1978)
My Fair Lady (1965)
Nelson Riddle Arranges and Conducts 101 Strings (1970)
A Night in Vienna (1958)
A Night in the Tropics (1957)
A Night Serenade in the Quiet Hours (1958)
Opera Without Words (1958)
Original Johann Strauss Waltzes (1970) (originally released in 1958 credited to The Danube Strings)
Paul Griffin Swings with 101 Strings (1965)
Piano Concertos and Rhapsodies with the 101 Strings (1973)
Piano Mixtures (1979)
Polkas (1972) (disc label reads 101 Strings Play Polkas)
'POP' Classics (1970)
Porgy and Bess (1959)
A Portrait of 'The Lady' (1973)
The Power and the Glory (with The Tabernacle Choir) (1970)
Que Mango! (with Les Baxter) (1970)
Ravel: Bolero
Rhapsody (1960)
Rhapsody in Blue (1975) (credited to 101 Violins)
Richard Rodgers Oscar Hammerstein (1966)
The Rivieras : 101 Strings on a Mediterranean Cruise (1959)
The Romance of Hawaii (1970)
The Romance of Magic Island (1967)
Romantic Hits from the Operettas and Musical Comedies (1972)
The Romantic Years (1977)
Round the World in Stereo with 101 Strings (1968)
Russian Fireworks (1959)
S.R.O. Broadway Hits (Standing Room Only) (1967)
San Francisco – City of Romance (1974)
Sigmund Romberg Rudolf Friml (1966)
Smash Hits from The Music Man (1961)
Songs from George M. Cohan That Is (1967) (back cover reads 101 Strings Play Hit Songs from George M. and New York - The Good Old Days)
Songs of Faith (1967)
Songs of Love (1967)
Songs of the Seasons in Japan (1964)
The Soul of Erin (1966)
Soul of Greece (1972)
The Soul of Israel (1967)
The Soul of Israel, Volume 2 (1972)
The Soul of Mexico (1962)
Soul of Music U.S.A. (1958)
The Soul of Poland (1972)
The Soul of Scotland (1972)
The Soul of Spain (1958)
The Soul of Spain, Volume 2 (1958)
The Soul of Spain, Volume 3 (1971)
Soul of the Blues (1960)
The Sound of Henry Mancini (1972)
The Sound of Silence (1976)
The Sounds and Songs of the Jet Set (1965)
The Sounds of Love (1969)
Sounds of Today (1967)
Spain (1973)
Spanish Eyes and Other Romantic Songs (1967)
Spectacular Brass!!! Fantastic Reeds!!! and the Magnificent 101 Strings : Nelson Riddle with Americas Top Soloists (1971)
The Stephen Foster Songbook (1961)
Swingin' Things from 101 Strings (1967) (originally released in 1961 as The Soul of Harlem credited to Orchestra del Oro)
T.V. Themes (1975)
Temas Célebres del Cine (1970)
Theme from Love Story and Other Songs of Love (1971)
Theme from Shaft (1972)
Themes from Superman and Other Great Themes from Space (1979)
The Tijuana Sound (1967)
Today's Hits (1972)
Tom Sawyer (1973)
Tour to the Sun (1973)
A Tribute to John Lennon (1979)
A Tribute to John Wayne (1980)
Trumpet A Go-Go Vol 2 (1972)
Valley of the Dolls and Other Academy Award Hits! (1968)
Victor Herbert (1966)
Victor Young Leroy Anderson (1964)
Violinos e Muito Amor (1979)
Wagons West (1972)
A Waltz to Remember (1971)
Western Themes (1972) (disc label reads Western Themes Vol. I)
Western Themes Volume II (1972)
Who Can Forget? (1972)
With Love from London (1962)
The Wonderful World of Screen Music Vol. 1 (1975) (front cover reads Screen Music with 101 Strings Vol. 1)
The Wonderful World of Screen Music Vol. 2 (1975) (front cover reads Screen Music with 101 Strings Vol. 2)
The Wonderful World of Walt Disney (1966)
A World of Romance (1961) (reel-to-reel tape with selections from six previous albums)
WXTZ - A Profile of Sound (1974) (promotional album for an Indianapolis, Indiana radio station)

Films

The music of the 101 Strings Orchestra was prominently featured throughout the film Easy Listening (2002).^[8]

References

^ Huey, Steve. "101 Strings Artist Biography by Steve Huey". www.allmusic.com. All Media Network, LLC. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
^ "101 Strings - One Hundred and One Strings with the Alshire Singers (1986) album rating, credits & releases". allmusic.com. All Media Network, LLC. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c "D. L. Miller". spaceagepop.com. SpaceAgePop. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
^ "Home". alshire.com.
^ "Catalog". BMG. 22 March 2018.
^ Billboard – Google Books. 9 September 1967. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
^ Virgin Hit Albums, 1st ed., p. 205
^ "Easy Listening Soundtracks". www.imdb.com/. IMDb.com, Inc. Retrieved 19 August 2014.

External links

[1] Huey, Steve. "101 Strings Artist Biography by Steve Huey". www.allmusic.com. All Media Network, LLC. Retrieved 19 August 2014.

[2] "101 Strings - One Hundred and One Strings with the Alshire Singers (1986) album rating, credits & releases". allmusic.com. All Media Network, LLC. Retrieved 19 August 2014.

[DL-3] "D. L. Miller". spaceagepop.com. SpaceAgePop. Retrieved 29 August 2014.

[4] "Home". alshire.com.

[5] "Catalog". BMG. 22 March 2018.

[6] Billboard – Google Books. 9 September 1967. Retrieved 18 March 2012.

[7] Virgin Hit Albums, 1st ed., p. 205

[8] "Easy Listening Soundtracks". www.imdb.com/. IMDb.com, Inc. Retrieved 19 August 2014.

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