Events in Music History in 1931

Jan 22 Jazz trumpeter Clyde McCoy records "Sugar Blues" for Columbia Records; sells over 14 million copies internationally
Feb 7 American opera "Peter Ibbetson" by Deems Taylor premieres at Metropolitan Opera, New York City

America's Sweetheart

Feb 10 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's musical "America's Sweetheart" premieres on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre, NYC

Mar 3 "The Star-Spangled Banner" officially becomes US national anthem by congressional resolution; lyrics by Francis Scott Key in 1814, set to John Stafford Smith's 18th century tune "The Anacreontic Song"

Minnie the Moocher

Mar 3 Cab Calloway records "Minnie the Moocher" (Jazz's 1st million seller)

Jazz Musician, Singer-Songwriter and Bandleader Cab Calloway

Mar 25 Hal Kemp & his Orchestra record "Whistles", with Skinnay Ennis as vocalist, in NYC

The Arrow

Apr 8 Dmitri Shostakovich's ballet "The Arrow" premieres

May 1 Singer Kate Smith begins her long-running association with CBS radio, various programs continue until 1945
Jun 6 "There Ought To Be A Moonlight Saving Time" by Guy Lombardo hits #1

Girl Crazy

Jun 6 George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin's musical "Girl Crazy" starring Ginger Rogers and featuring debut of Ethel Merman, closes at the Alvin Theater, NYC, after 272 performances, and making stars of Rogers and Merman

Debut of Bing Crosby

Sep 2 American crooner Bing Crosby makes his solo radio debut on his "15 Minutes with Bing Crosby" program broadcast on the CBS network

Sep 17 Operetta "Viktoria & Her Hussar" by Paul Abraham (adapted for English by Harry Graham) premieres in London at Palace Theatre
Oct 13 Musical "Everybody's Welcome" with Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey premieres in NYC

Cavalcade

Oct 13 Noël Coward's play "Cavalcade" premieres in London

Playwright, Director and Singer Noël Coward

Music History

Oct 30 Eugene Ormandy makes his debut leading the Philadelphia Orchestra, substituting for an ailing Arturo Toscanini

Nov 2 Warren, Dixon and Young's musical "Laugh Parade" premieres in NYC
Nov 11 Cornerstones laid for Opera House & Veteran's Building in San Francisco, California

Ballet Lady of Shalott

Nov 12 Jean Sibelius and Ashton's ballet "Lady of Shalott" premieres in London

Dec 25 NY's Metropolitan Opera broadcasts an entire opera over radio

"Of Thee I Sing"

Dec 26 George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind's musical political satire "Of Thee I Sing" opens at the Music Box Theatre, NYC; runs for 441 performances, and becomes first musical to win Pulitzer Prize for Drama