Swing Shift: All-Girl Bands of the 1940s

A discussion of the all-girl big bands of the World War II era. American demand for swing skyrocketed with the onslaught of war as millions - isolated from loved ones - sought diversion, comfort and social contact through music and dance. Filled with firsthand accounts of more than 100 women who performed during this era and complemented by archival research, this work offers a history of this significant aspect of American society and culture, as well as examining how and why whole bands of dedicated and talented women musicians were dropped from - or never inducted into - our national memory. Sherrie Tucker’s nuanced presentation reveals who these remarkable women were, where and when they began to play music, and how they navigated a sometimes wild and bumpy road - including their experiences with gas and rubber rationing, travel restrictions designed to prioritise transportation for military needs, and Jim Crow laws and other prejudices. The careers of such bands as the International Sweethearts of Rhythm , Phil Spitalny’s Hours of Charm , The Darlings of Rhythm , and the Sharon Rogers All-Girl Band are chronicled.