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Here are a few photos, and a lot of memories,
from the personal collection of Alan Pogson.
Alan, a master of both the chromatic and chord harmonicas, is probably remembered most
as the originator and arranger of the famed chord solo for "Peg O' My Heart". Alan had broken
the barriers of the chord instrument (designed and used solely as a chord/rhythm instrument
in harmonica ensembles previously) and had been playing this unique solo for several years
with the Borrah Minevitch Harmonica Rascals.
THE "PEG" STORY
as told by Alan:
Alan arranged and worked out the solo on "Peg" in 1939, while playing with Johnny O’Brien’s
Harmonica Hi-Hats (Johnny O’Brien, Eddy Manson, Dave Doucette, Lenny Schwartz,
Sam Blanco, Carl Friedman, and Alan Pogson). He did not play "Peg" on stage with the
Hi-Hats.
In March/April 1943, the Borrah Minevitch Harmonica Rascals, Pete Pedersen leading, were
co-billed with the Bob Crosby Orchestra at the Capitol Theater (51st & Broadway, New York).
Alan was playing "Peg" backstage. (At this point, "Peg" was not being used for performance,
and had not been worked out with the Rascals.) Bob Crosby heard it, and sent a message to
Alan that he would like to meet with him. Bob told Alan he would like to have him play
"that song you were doing" on stage as a special presentation, to be a part of Bob’s show.
Alan agreed, and Bob introduced him, stating to the audience that he would like to present
Alan doing a solo on a very large and unusual harmonica. Alan then played "Peg O' My Heart"
as a chord solo for the very first time on stage, backed by the Bob Crosby Orchestra.
Following the show, Johnny Puleo insisted that "Peg" be introduced into the Rascals’ show
as part of the act. It was used from then on.
Enter the Harmonicats, who recorded the now famous "Peg O' My Heart" with Alan's blessing,
in April 1947, and the rest is history. Many millions of copies of the recording were sold, and
are still being sold currently. Not only was the harmonica brought to the forefront of the
music industry as a real and viable instrument, but it broke all records as an instrumental
pop hit in the recording industry. It was also a pioneering landmark as it was one of the
first recordings made using an echo chamber.
Could all this have happened without Alan Pogson?
For more history on the "Peg" recording, go to:
http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~campber/vitacoustic.html
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