Dan Hill & His Nightbirds - a. Charleston b. I wonder where my baby is tonight...

Dan Hill was born in Latvia on 11 July 1923, but his parents came to South Africa when he was four years old. He studied classic violin and piano at school and, although he was destined to follow a career in music, he first completed a BSc degree in Engineering at the University of Witwatersrand in 1948 before fully applying himself to music. Throughout his career he experimented with recording techniques using his engineering background to do so. While at university, he and pianist Archie Silansky started a jazz band, with Dave Kitai on violin and double bass, and with Dan playing the clarinet and saxophone. They played at clubs in and around Johannesburg, and by 1949 some of their recordings were being played on radio. They then added two vocalists, Dennis Lotis, brother of the well-known singer, entertainer and radio DJ, Peter Lotis, and the other a lady named Artemis. She also teamed up with Virginia Lee to sing as the “Sonskynsusters”. Dan and Artemis were married in later years.

Dan had his first big hit in 1956 with his version of “Fanagalo” which was released on a 78 speed record, and in 1958 he again had a huge hit with his first dance album, “Happy Days Are Here Again”, which was released as Dan Hill & His Nightbirds. It sold more than 25,000 copies and earned him a Gold Disc award. He will probably best be remembered for the series of “Sounds Electronic” records which were released between 1965 and the early 1970s. They were highly controversial, and very popular, not only for the innovative way in which the songs were presented, but also for the scantily clad ladies that adorned the covers. This often brought him into direct conflict with the conservative sensor board at the time and resulted in many of the later releases being decorated with huge black stickers over sensitive areas of the ladies’ anatomies. The “Sounds Electronic” series of albums apparently sold in excess of 1,000,000 copies and earned Dan seven SARI awards.

He also made a huge contribution to light Afrikaans music, often using pseudonyms such as Danie Berg and Tommy Alberts, and he also released a number of “boeremusiek” albums using the name “First National Sakkie Sakkie Boere-Country-Band”. Together with Doris Brasch and Dawie Couzyn he also contributed to children’s albums. In later years he formed the RPM Record Company together with Matt Mann and Geoff Tucker.

Dan Hill died on 31 May 2009 at the age of 85.

This song is off the album "Happy Days Are Here Again", released in 1958. It's a medley of the following songs:

a. Charleston
b. I wonder where my baby is tonight
c. Some of these days
d. Music goes round and round

Dan Hill & His Nightbirds,a. Charleston b. I wonder where my baby is tonight...,Dan Hill & His Nightbirds - a. Charleston b. I wonder where my baby is tonight...,1950s,