I can't explain to you what made Evelyn's violin so magical, although it did cast a spell over Spitalny. He married her (Evelyn, that is). I can explain the "Hour of Charm" part of the name. That was the title of the radio show that Phil and the band appeared on from 1934 to 1948.
All this may sound gimmicky, and is surely was. Even so, these were serious musicians, and this is quite a good record, even if composed entirely of standard holiday fare.
This 10-inch LP came out on RCA Victor in 1950. Victor leased the masters from Spitalny himself. He recorded them in fall 1947 at WOR studios in New York, and issued them as a 78 set on his own Charm label. The bandleader sold them at concerts and via large mail-order ads in magazines such as Life (see below).
Spitalny had previously recorded for Columbia and did some picture discs for Vogue. I thought I had one of the Vogues around here, but it turned out to be by another band with a long name - Art Kassel and his Castles in the Air Orchestra.
| 1948 Life ad (click to enlarge) |