Two Ton Baker

{{short description|American singer}} {{Infobox person |name = Dick "Two Ton" Baker |image = Two Ton Baker 1949.jpg |image_size = |caption = Two Ton Baker publicity photo, 1949 |birth_name = Richard Baker |birth_date = May 2, 1916 |birth_place = Chicago, Illinois |death_date = {{death date and age|1975|5|4|1916|5|2}} |death_place = Hazel Crest, Illinois |nationality = |occupation = {{flatlist| * Singer * pianist * entertainer }} |years_active = 1938–1973 |website = {{URL|twotonbaker.com}} }}

'''Richard Evans''' "'''Two Ton'''" '''Baker''' (May 2, 1916 – May 4, 1975) was an American singer and entertainer who was a prominent Chicago radio and television personality for three decades; the 1940s to the 1960s. He gained some national exposure in the United States through his recordings for Mercury Records and his Mutual Broadcasting System radio show.

==Biography== Richard Evans Baker was born in Chicago on May 2, 1916.<ref name=obit /><ref name=bio>{{cite web |url=http://twotonbaker.com/2ton/bio/bio1.htm |title=Dick Two Ton Maker Biography, Part 1 |last=Baker |first=Dick |website=Two Ton Baker}}</ref>{{Ref_label|A|a|none}} He began playing piano at two-and-a-half years of age<ref name=trib449 /> By age four he was playing piano for his mother at musical engagements.<ref name=trib449 /> He attended high school at Morton and Fenger in Chicago, where he was known to cut classes for musical opportunities.<ref name=trib449 /> He joined a local 12-piece band, and had occasional gigs as a pianist, master of ceremonies, and singer.<ref name=trib449 /> He met his wife when he was 20 years old, and married her shortly afterwards.<ref name=bio2>{{cite web |url=http://twotonbaker.com/2ton/bio/bio2.htm |title=Dick Two Ton Maker Biography, Part 2 |last=Baker |first=Dick |website=Two Ton Baker}}</ref>

Baker's full-time professional entertaining career began in 1938, playing for night clubs with notable dates at the Chicago Theatre and the Riverside in Milwaukee.<ref name=obit /><ref name=cover /> In 1939 he began a job as a disc jockey at radio station WJJD with a two-hour show entitled ''Sunday Morning Party'', while also performing at the 1111 Club.<ref name=obit /><ref name=bio2 /> It was early in his radio career that he was given the entertainment name "Two Ton" by a fellow radio-station employee.<ref name=bio2 /> He quit WJJD in 1943 and concentrated on his nightclub work, but he was given his own radio show, ''One Man Show'', on station WGN in 1944.<ref name=obit /><ref name=bio2 /> For the next several years Baker was closely associated with that station, and vice versa.<ref name=bio2 /> Baker could not pass a physical to enter the armed forces during World War II, but as he gained fame he began entertaining troops at Soldier Field.<ref name=bio3 /> He was particularly active at Gardiner General Hospital, where he spent more than 200 hours with the wounded.<ref name=bio3 /> Baker began recording for Mercury Records in 1946.<ref name=ruppli1>{{cite book |last1=Ruppli |first1=Michel|last2=Novitsky |first2=Ed |date=1993 |title=The Mercury Labels: A Discography|volume=1 |location=Westport, Connecticut |publisher=Greenwood Press |page=757 |isbn=0-313-29031-8 }}</ref> Mercury Records and had a double-sided hit in 1947 when "Near You" reached #12, and "I'm a Lonely Little Petunia (In An Onion Patch)" peaked at #21.<ref name=Whit86>{{cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |title=Pop Memories 1890–1954 |year=1986 |publisher=Record Research, Inc. |location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin |isbn=0-89820-083-0 |page=[https://archive.org/details/joelwpopmemories00whit/page/31 31] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/joelwpopmemories00whit/page/31 }}</ref> In total Baker had twenty-five recording sessions with Mercury between 1946 and 1951.<ref name=ruppli1 /><ref>{{cite book |last1=Ruppli |first1=Michel|last2=Novitsky |first2=Ed |date=1993 |title=The Mercury Labels: A Discography|volume=5 |location=Westport, Connecticut |publisher=Greenwood Press |isbn=0-313-29035-0 }}</ref>

thumb|"Two Ton" Baker performing with Bubbles the porpoise from the Chicago children's television show ''The Happy Pirates'' Baker was part of WGN-TV's grand opening show on April 5, 1948.<ref name=chictv22>{{cite book |editor1-last=Berger |editor1-first=Daniel |editor2-last=Jajkowski |editor2-first=Steve |date=2010 |title=Chicago Television |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D83ACkuGv_gC&pg=PA22 |publisher= Arcadia Publishing|page=22 |isbn=9780738577135}}</ref> The next day was WGN's first full day of programming which included Baker's show ''Wonder House'', a puppet program hosted in conjunction with Art Nelson.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gowran |first=Clay |date=April 4, 1968 |title=Only 16,000 Tiny TV's Here in '48 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14489902/tiny_tvs/|work=Chicago Tribune |location=Chicago, Illinois|page=106|via = Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref> ''Wonder House'' was aired five days a week at 7:30PM.<ref name=bb748 /> The program featured a marionette made to look like Baker, named "Half-Ton".<ref name=chictv99 /> The show was one of the most popular early television shows in Chicago, and it was stated that Baker was "made for TV".<ref name=bb061248>{{cite magazine |last=Wagner |first=Cy |date=June 12, 1948 |title=Radio and Television Program Reviews |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=evUDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA12 |magazine=Billboard |page=12}}</ref> The show was praised for Baker's performances and a well-placed set, but it suffered from poor script writing and microphone placement.<ref name=bb061248 /> Although drawing an adult audience as well as the children it was aimed at, ''Wonder House'' was cancelled after five months because of the excessive production costs.<ref name=bb748>{{cite magazine |author= |title=Chi's Music Talent Gets First Crack at Video in Fall; Pic Retrogressive |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UkUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA14 |magazine=Billboard |page=14 |date=August 7, 1948}}</ref> Baker gained national radio exposure when ''The Two Ton Baker Show'', originating from WGN, was carried across the Mutual network.<ref>{{cite book |last=Cox |first=Jim |date=2005 |title=Music Radio |location= Jefferson, North Carolina|publisher=McFarland & Company |page=151 |isbn=0-7864-2047-2}}</ref> Baker was featured on cover of ''Billboard'' magazine in February 1949, noting his release "Roll the Patrol Closer to the Curb".<ref name=cover>{{cite magazine |author= |title=(cover) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OPYDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA1 |magazine=Billboard |date=February 26, 1949}}</ref> That year he was appearing in fifteen 15-minute radio shows each week.<ref name=trib449 /> Baker left Mercury, and signed to Coral Records in 1952.<ref name=coral>{{cite magazine |author= |title=Popular Record Reviews |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rx8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA36 |magazine=Billboard |page=36 |date=August 9, 1952 }}</ref>

From 1952 to 1956 he was host of a children's television show for WBKB entitled ''The Happy Pirates''.<ref name=chictv38>{{cite book |editor1-last=Berger |editor1-first=Daniel |editor2-last=Jajkowski |editor2-first=Steve |date=2010 |title=Chicago Television |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D83ACkuGv_gC&pg=PA38 |publisher= Arcadia Publishing|page=38 |isbn=9780738577135}}</ref> ''Pirates'' featured Baker's entertainment, "Squawky the Parrot",{{Ref_label|B|b|none}} and old theatrical cartoons.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Glut |first1=Donald F.|last2=Harmon |first2=Jim |date=1975 |title=The Great Television Heroes|publisher=Doubleday |page=108 |isbn=9780385051675}}</ref> From 1957 to 1962 he was the spokesperson for Riverview Amusement Park. Television commercials for Riverview had Two Ton riding one of the Park Rides and him saying, "Laugh your troubles away at Riverview!" These commercials lasted until the Park closed. After that he managed to get a part in ''Mickey One'' starring Warren Beatty, which was Baker's only movie role. In 1964 he hosted ''Corral 26'' on WCIU-TV, a Western movie presentation featuring Baker's introductions, guest interviews, singing, and promoting chocolate milk made from Bosco Chocolate Syrup.<ref name=chictv99>{{cite book |editor1-last=Berger |editor1-first=Daniel |editor2-last=Jajkowski |editor2-first=Steve |date=2010 |title=Chicago Television |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D83ACkuGv_gC&pg=PA99 |publisher= Arcadia Publishing|page=99 |isbn=9780738577135}}</ref><ref name=gacs>{{cite book |last1=Okuda |first1=Ted|last2=Mulqueen |first2=Jack |date=2016 |title=The Golden Age of Chicago Children's Television |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=INzdDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA222 |publisher=SIU Press |page=222 |isbn=9780809335367}}</ref> This show ended in 1966.<ref name=gacs />

Later in life he returned to entertaining at Chicago night clubs.<ref name=obit /> He was a mainstay at the Ivanhoe from 1965 until 1970.<ref name=bio5>{{cite web |url=http://twotonbaker.com/2ton/bio/bio5.htm |title=Dick Two Ton Maker Biography, Part 5 |last=Baker |first=Dick |website=Two Ton Baker}}</ref> In 1972 Baker was selected by Duke Ellington to play piano at a symposium honoring Ellington and the history of jazz, as Ellington no longer felt he could play effectively.<ref>{{cite book |last=Cohen |first=Harvey G. |date=2010 |title=Duke Ellington's America |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5ponZR7emQMC&pg=PA561 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |page=561 |isbn=9780226112657 }}</ref> His recordings on Heartbeat were released as late as 1973.<ref name=heartbeat>{{cite magazine |author= |title=Heartbeat Revived to Plug Boxes |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MwkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA38 |magazine=Billboard |page=38 |date=January 11, 1973}}</ref> Baker's final employment was at Mangam's Chateau where he was engaged for five nights each week.<ref name=bio5 />

Baker collapsed at his Hazel Crest, Illinois home on May 4, 1975. He was taken to Ingalls Memorial Hospital and was pronounced dead upon arrival.<ref name=obit>{{cite news |author= |title='2-Ton' Baker. music man, dies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14489657/two_ton_baker_dies/|work=Chicago Tribune|date=May 5, 1975|page=94|via = Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref>

==Style and legacy== {{blockquote|The only thing I've ever wanted to do in this world is play piano and sing on the radio. This isn't work, it's play – and I'm getting paid for it!||Two Ton Baker<ref name=trib449 />}}

Having never received formal music training, Baker could not read music well but instead played by ear.<ref name=obit /> He considered his biggest influence to be Duke Ellington.<ref name=trib449 /> He was well-regarded for his improvisational ability.<ref name=obit /> Baker was a very large man, and his outgoing personality fit his size.<ref name=chictv38 /> ''Billboard'' reviewed one of his radio shows as "zany" but humorless. However, they stated that the only reason to listen to ''Baker's Spotlight'' was Baker's piano playing and singing.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Wagner |first=Cy |date=August 2, 1947 |title=Continuing Program Studies |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xgwEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT13 |magazine=Billboard |page=14}}</ref> Regarding his recordings, ''Billboard'' on more than one occasion noted his infectious ebullience while performing less-than-serious material.<ref>{{cite magazine |author= |title=Record Reviews |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RSkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT94 |magazine=Billboard |page=97 |date= February 18, 1950 }}</ref><ref name=bb0947>{{cite magazine |author= |title=Record Reviews |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QyAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA40 |magazine=Billboard |page=40 |date=September 20, 1947}}</ref>

Baker held the top two spots for in the children's category in ''Billboard''{{'}}s 1948 poll of disk-jockey's favorite records.<ref>{{cite magazine |author= |title=Favorite Records by Categories |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Zx4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA13 |magazine=Billboard |page=13 |date=October 2, 1948}}</ref> Baker loved performing for children. In addition to his kiddie records, and children's television shows, he made numerous personal appearances at orphanages, beginning in 1945.<ref name=bio3 /> For several years he played both piano and Santa Claus at {{ill|The Blue Note (Chicago)|de}}.<ref>{{cite book |last=Ellington |first=Duke |date=1973 |title=Music Is My Mistress |publisher=Da Capo Press |page=246 |isbn=0-306-80033-0 |author-link=Duke Ellington }}</ref> Although known for his children's and novelty work, he also shared billing with Count Basie, Dave Brubeck, Gene Krupa, and George Shearing in a non-Christmas concert at the Blue Note.<ref name=bio3>{{cite web |url=http://twotonbaker.com/2ton/bio/bio3.htm |title=Dick Two Ton Maker Biography, Part 3 |last=Baker |first=Dick |website=Two Ton Baker}}</ref>

Baker was called most commonly "Two Ton Baker, the Music Maker". Other monikers included "The One Man Show" and "Behemoth of the Keyboards".<ref name=trib449>{{cite news |last=Rementh |first=Anton |date=April 17, 1949 |title=Two Ton Baker, a Right Jolly Piano Puncher |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14489747/two_ton_baker_piano/ |work=Chicago Tribune |page=224|via = Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}</ref>

==Recordings== Baker's first commercial record was a collaboration with the Hoosier Hot Shots on Decca Records.<ref name=bio4 /> In 1946 Baker began recording for Mercury Records.<ref name=ruppli1 /> The bulk of this work was novelty or children's material.,<ref name=bio4>{{cite web |url=http://twotonbaker.com/2ton/bio/bio4.htm |title=Dick Two Ton Maker Biography, Part 4 |last=Baker |first=Dick |website=Two Ton Baker}}</ref> but it also included "straight" material and some instrumentals.<ref name=bb0947 /><ref name=bio4 /> In addition to his hits, some of his better-known songs include "I Like Stinky Cheese", and "The Soup Song".<ref name=bio4 /> At Mercury he was paired with bandleader Tiny Hill ("I'm a Bigger Man than You") and, in his last recording for Mercury, Jerry Murad's Harmonicats.<ref name=ruppli1 /> He made no further recordings for Mercury after 1951.<ref name=ruppli1 /> When he switched to Coral Records in 1952 he continued issuing novelty recordings aimed at the pop market.<ref name=coral /> His next recordings were for Seymour Schwartz, a Chicago record store owner whose Heartbeat label was primarily for the juke box trade.<ref name=bio4 /> He recorded for Heartbeat and successor Sunny until late in his life.<ref name=heartbeat /><ref name=bio4 /> The late material was more pop-oriented, although some of Baker's novelty recordings were re-recorded.<ref name=bio4 />

==Personal life== Baker and his wife, Ruth Fisher,<ref name=bio2 /> had one son and one daughter.<ref name=obit />

==Notes== {{refbegin}} {{Note label|A|a|none}}Two Ton Baker's biographer, also named Dick Baker, is no relation. {{Note label|B|b|none}}"Squawky"'s back-story was that the bird had an absolutely filthy vocabulary acquired from time spent on a Danish vessel. However, the parrot swore only in Danish, so nobody minded. {{refend}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{Official website|http://twotonbaker.com}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Two Ton}} Category:1916 births Category:1975 deaths Category:20th-century American pianists Category:American television hosts Category:Mercury Records artists Category:Singers from Chicago Category:American radio hosts Category:Coral Records artists Category:20th-century American male pianists