Alabama Getaway

Ted Knight and the World's Smallest Big Band traveled to Gulf Shores, Alabama for an August, 2007 wedding. The reception was held at the waterfront home of the bride's parents, beautifully decorated for the affair. Click images to enlarge.

The bride, Deborah, met her husband-to-be, Ramon, while living in Spain. Many of Ramon's friends and family members were also able to make the trip from Spain.

Stars Fell on Alabama

The couple considered several songs for their first dance, but when Ramon heard the American standard "Stars Fell on Alabama," he loved it. Ted wrote an arrangement featuring trumpet with Evelyn Russell's vocal, basing it on the duet recorded by Ella Fitzgerald with Louis Armstrong.

Deborah's mother, a trained vocalist, sang the David Gates song, "If," especially for her daughter.

Later the band played "Mobile" at the request of Deborah's father, the recently retired district attorney of Mobile and Baldwin County. Ted found sheet music for the old Phil Harris number all about the nearby Alabama city, and prepared a custom arrangement. True to the lyrics of the song, the weather for the wedding reception was hot and steamy, with a record-breaking heat index of 105 degrees. Blessedly, the rain that was forecast failed to materialize.

The band and many of the guests changed into casual attire early in the evening, in time for the bride to dance with her father to the traditional "Daddy's Little Girl."

Spanish Eyes

Knowing ahead of time that many of the guests from Spain would speak little or no English, Ted sang several numbers in Spanish including "Ojos Españolas" ("Spanish Eyes") and "Somos Novios" (the Spanish lyric to the Perry Como number, "It's Impossible," translated as "We Are Sweethearts"). "Besame Mucho" went over especially well with Americans and Spaniards alike, as did a rocking version of "Oye Como Va."

Evelyn's vocals included "Fever," "Respect," "The Look of Love," "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," and Dusty Springfield's "Son of a Preacher Man." Evelyn, Ted, and bassist Bill Rabon made the trip from South Florida. Saxophonist Bill Clark, trumpet player Donald Morris, and drummer David White came from Mobile.

Save the Last Dance

Even the sweltering heat couldn't keep people off the dance floor. From a romantic "Embraceable You" to a Latin-tinged "Save the Last Dance for Me," it was a night to remember.

Photos courtesy of Samantha Alday Photography.

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