Meadowbrook Memories

In the golden age of radio in America, when the big dance bands reigned supreme, one of the most eagerly awaited moments came when the on-location announcer said: "From Frank Dailey's Meadowbrook on Route 23, the Newark-Pompton Turnpike in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, CBS [or it may have been NBC or Mutual] presents the music of.…" These words were followed by the name of the featured band and, simultaneously, a familiar theme came floating across the airwaves. Invariably, any identification of the band was hardly necessary as the opening signature music alone was enough, such were the many top bands that played this highly popular venue. Glenn Miller, the Dorseys, Benny Goodman, Larry Clinton and Harry James were Meadowbrook regulars from the late 1930s into the 1940s.