Jessie Stafford Orchestra - I'm Sailing On A Sunbeam

When Herb Wiedoeft, brother of saxophonist Rudy Wiedoeft and a pioneering Los Angeles jazz band leader, was tragically killed in a car accident in Medford (Oregon) on May 12, 1928, trombonist Jesse Stafford took over the band and released 13 sides on Brunswick records under the name of the Jessie Stafford Orchestra. This excellent record was cut in 1929, the same year when was released the movie this song is an excerpt from. The strong vocal is by 1920s-30s actor Lawrence Gray (1898-1970), who also sang it in the film. During World War I Gray served in the US Navy. After the war he began in the technical side of films at the Lasky Studios, but later became an extra in crowd scenes and such, and liking the work, decided on a film career. He appeared in over 40 films between 1925 and 1936, although many were B movies. In 1930 he starred in Children of Pleasure alongside Wynne Gibson and was involved with the film score. He spent much of his career in vaudeville.