The Georgians

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The Georgians were the solo band Nat Gonella founded on his departure from Lew Stone and his Orchestra in 1934. He had already experimented as a solo artist in small groups and with the American pianist Garland Wilson but this was the first band to carry Nat's name.

The band featured his brother Bruts on second trumpet, the South African Pat Smuts on Tenor Saxophone, Albert Torrance on Alto Sax, Harold "Baby" Hood on Piano, Charlie Winters on string bass and Nat's former employer Bob Dryden on drums.

They recorded extensively for the Parlophone Label throughout the 1930's scoring hits with "Nagasaki", "I Can't Dance I've Got Ants In My Pants", "How'm I Doing?" "The Shiek of Araby", "Oh Monah!", "Ol' Man Mose" and Nat's signature tune "Georgia On My Mind". In these recording Nat brought jazz, and particularly the jazz stylings of his hero Louis Armstrong, to National prominence through radio broadcasts and tours of the variety circuit. The Georgians were finally disbanded when Nat was called into Service during World War II.

In the 1940's Nat formed his New Georgians who featured an extended big-band but this group lacked the swing of the smaller 1930's band.

The Georgians is also the name of an unrelated 1920's British group who played at the Savoy Hotel in London and featured the American trumpeter Frank Guarante.