25 Facts About Ted Weems

Wilfred Theodore Wemyes, known professionally as Ted Weems, was an American bandleader and musician.

Young Ted Weems's start in music came when he entered a contest, hoping to win a pony.

Ted Weems won a violin instead and his parents arranged for music lessons.

Ted Weems was a graduate of Lincoln School in Pittsburgh.

Ted Weems's teacher offered young Ted and his band a penny each if they would play when the alarm sounded for fire drills.

Ted Weems kept the monies of the band and in turn charged each band member a penny for membership.

Ted Weems used the money to purchase better instruments than those the band started out with.

Ted Weems joined the school's band and became its director.

Ted Weems attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he and his brother Art organized a small dance band that became the "All American Band".

Ted Weems's band had a contract to play four weeks at a Philadelphia restaurant; the owner was able to keep Weems and his band there for four months by making Ted a partner in his business.

Ted Weems then signed with Columbia for two sessions in 1934 and subsequently signed with Decca from 1936.

The Ted Weems Orchestra had more chart success in 1929 with the novelty song "Piccolo Pete", which rewarded him with his second gold record, and the number one hit "The Man from the South".

In 1936, the Ted Weems Orchestra gave young singer Perry Como his first national exposure; Como recorded with the band for Decca Records, beginning his long and successful career.

Ted Weems signed 14-year-old ventriloquist Paul Winchell to a contract, after seeing him with one of the Major Bowes touring companies.

However, the biggest hit of Ted Weems's career was a reissue on his former Decca label: the Ted Weems Orchestra's 1938 recording of "Heartaches" topped the national charts for 13 weeks.

Ted Weems did not like the song at first, and decided to have Elmo Tanner whistle rather than use a vocalist.

In 1938 Ted Weems recorded a new "rhumba fox trot" version of "Heartaches" for Decca Records.

Ted Weems played it on the air and the radio station's phones never stopped ringing; the callers wanted to hear the song again.

Since the Ted Weems orchestra had recorded "Heartaches" for Victor, that company decided to re-release its own version of the song.

The new-found popularity of the 1938 "Heartaches" came at a time when Weems was struggling to re-form his band; many former members had other music-related jobs, others were no longer interested in performing.

Ted Weems was then able to recruit new band members and was again being asked to play at the same venues as before the war.

Ted Weems made front-page news in 1947 when he publicly repaid his debt to disc jockey Kurt Webster, who had revived "Heartaches" and thus Weems's career.

Ted Weems died of emphysema in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1963.

Ted Weems had been operating a talent agency in Dallas with his son which served as his band's headquarters.

Ted Weems was in Tulsa with his band for an engagement the day he was taken ill.