‘Stardust'
Glenn Miller and Dinah Shore
-
EMI HB1-E
[1944]
In what was his last recording session, Glenn Miller arrived at Abbey Road on 16 September 1944 with the American Band of Allied Expeditionary Forces to record ‘All I Do is Dream of You’ and ‘Stardust’ with big band star Dinah Shore.
The HB-1E* was used to capture the lead vocal as well as a natural balance of the brass, strings, percussion, guitar and double bass.
Designed by EMI engineer Alan Blumlein and built by Herbert Holman in 1931, the HB1 is one of our most important historical mics. In most of the photos from Abbey Road in the 1930s and ‘40s, this moving-coil microphone is the one being used.
A month before the Studios official opening in November 1931, American bass-baritone Paul Robeson recorded a cover of Hoagy Carmichael’s ‘Rockin’ Chair’ in Studio Three using the HB1. It became the first published recording out of Abbey Road.
The mic remained in constant use at Abbey Road until the arrival of condenser microphones in the ‘50s.
*HB stands for Holman/Blumlein
Available Formats:
+ Each print is individually numbered and hand signed by Rick Guest.
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Glenn Miller and Dinah Shore
1944
Photo: courtesy EMI Archive Trust