Too Close to the Sun

Cold spring water from outside Hot Springs, Arkansas at Chewaukla Bottling Factory was a sensation that merited advertising by one of the world’s best-known band leaders, Guy Lombardo, with his Lombardo Brothers’ Orchestra and Concert Company.

The quartet consisted of Guy as violinist, his brothers Carmen, flutist, saxophonist, and singer and Lebert, drummer and trumpeter, and pianist Freddie Kreitzer who were sometimes joined by the Lombardos’ soprano sister Elaine baritone father Gaetano among others. They were known as Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians.

They performed at the inaugural balls of every US president from F.D. Roosevelt to Dwight Eisenhower and for Ronald Reagan in the bands changing history.

Among the band’s many grander accomplishments was the radio theme song “Sweet Chewaukla: The Land of Sleepy Water,” written by Fred Higman with music by Carmen, dedicated to Sleepy Water, Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Find original recordings of the song on YouTube.