The Andy Love Four was a singing group from 1944 to 1948 lead by Andy Love, né Andrew Jackson Love in 1911 (1982). Members include Robert Wacker (1909-1985), Dorothy Lanham, né Dorothy Dee McCarty (1917-2015), future wife of Andy Love, and Johnny Smedberg, né John Henry Smedberg (1911-1979).
They sing a song on the 1944 Snow White Decca album A 368: Buddle-Uddle-Um-Dum, with Evelyn Knight. The booklet on this album described them so:
Andy Love is a very pleasant young man with a likable manner. In fact, so likable, he and the members of his group have been singing together for 12 years— really a record.
It all started in 1932—during the height of the depression. Before that, Andy had sung only for his own pleasure and for that of his friends—he was studying medicine at the University of Wisconsin. The stockmarket “crash” changed Andy’s mind and he decided to put his voice to work for him. He joined Paul Whiteman’s band along with two former schoolmates, one of whom, Bob Wacker, is still with him. Shortly after this, Gene and Dorothy Lanham joined him and together they became a part of Ray Noble’s orchestra. Today, Johnny Smedberg is now a member of the quartet taking Gene’s place as the latter is in the armed forces.
It was after they had appeared with Ray Noble, that Andy Love started the “different” part of his career. For several years, now, he has been broadcasting and writing many of the commercial “jingles” you hear over the air. His first appearance in this capacity, was on the Pepsi-Cola show. Then came the writing of “spot announcements” for Lifebuoy, Ruppert Beer, Rinso, Virginia Darc and others. He wrote the jingles, produced the shows, and he and his quartet did the voice work and sound effects for them. The “Four” appeared in 250 commercials and Love wrote about 75 of them. Another show on which he appeared and which he liked, was the Campbell’s Soup program with Lanny Ross. At this writing, The Andy Love Four may be heard on the Stage Door Canteen broadcasts.
Andy Love and his group are doing some very interesting and exciting television work. Love is writing, producing, and making commercial spots. Knowing, as he does, members of his quartet so intimately, he is a master at interpreting the sponsor’s advertising message into interesting, sure-selling and artistically correct dramatizations. He is making both live television shows and the animated or cartoon type. He thinks there is a tremendous future in television, and is very pleased at this opportunity to step into it at its inception.
