Down Beat Poll Winners

Down Beat first place winners in the 1947 Readers’ Poll

At their 22 February 1948 concert at the Civic Opera of Chicago, Kenton and band members received their first place awards from Down Beat. The Kenton clan received five first place awards, for best band, female vocalist, drummer, bassist, and arranger.

The Awards portion of the concert was broadcast by ABC, with each recipient being showcased with the band.

Listen to that historic show.PLAY

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Results of the 1948 Down Beat Poll

First Place
June Christy
Shelly Manne
Eddie Safranski

Second Place
Stan Kenton (band, after Ellington)
Pete Rugolo (arranger, after Strayhorn)

Other places
George Wiedler, 6th (alto sax)
Art Pepper, 7th (alto sax)
Bob Cooper, 4th (tenor sax)
Bob Gioga, 6th (bari sax)
Buddy Childers, 9th place (trumpet)
Milt Bernhart, 10th (trombone)
Laurindo Almeida, 4th (guitar)
Oscar Pettiford, 3rd (bass)
Irv Kluger, 9th (drums)
Stan Kenton, 13th (soloist)
Stan Kenton, 7th (King of Corn; Spike Jones, an old friend of Kenton’s, ran away with this category)

The only time information is saved by All Things Kenton is if you fill out the form on the Stan Kenton Clinic student registry page. If you do not fill out this form, no information will be collected.