May 29, 1943: Charlie Spivak was the first leader of The Million Dollar Band which debuted on NBC. The band featured Barry Wood as vocalist. The unusual feature of the show was the awarding each week of five diamond rings. The band debuted on the talent show entitled "Metropolitan Area Auditions." Charlie Spivak was the first maestro invited to lead the group. The five diamond rings were given to listeners that wrote the most interesting letters about what songs moved them and why.
Today in Old Radio History...