Buddy Stewart, who had a warm voice, was a pioneer bop singer who, if it were not for his early death, might very well have made an impact in the 1950s. Stewart began his professional career as a child performing in vaudeville when he was eight. He worked in a variety of groups including in a vocal duo with his future wife Martha Wayne. In the early '40s, Stewart sang as a member of the Snowflakes, and with the orchestras of Glenn Miller and Claude Thornhill. After a period in the Army (1942-1944), he teamed up with Dave Lambert in Gene Krupa's band in 1945 band to record what was considered the first bop vocal, "What's This." Stewart worked on and off with Lambert during the next few years, and in 1947, gained recognition for his singing with Charlie Ventura. In 1948, Stewart was with Kai Winding's band, and in 1949, he sang with Charlie Barnet's bebop orchestra. Tragically, he was killed in a car accident when he was just 27. As a leader, Buddy Stewart recorded five numbers in 1948; he can also be heard on record with Krupa, Lambert, Ventura, Barnet, and Red Rodney. ~ Scott Yanow