Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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ZABACH, Florian

(b 15 Aug. '21, Chicago) Violinist, composer. A concert artist at 12, then soloist on radio with Percy Faith, others; recorded for Decca. "Hot Canary', a jazzed- up version of a European tune, used harmonic overtones produced by touching the strings lightly instead of pressing them firmly: it was no. 13 '50, sold a million eventually on Decca. He recorded the trad. fiddle tune "Turkey In The Straw' (originally "Zip Coon', c1834), Leroy Anderson's "Plink, Plank, Plunk', etc. Technique and showmanship made him a hit in clubs; he had a TV series '55 and a minor hit "When The White Lilacs Bloom Again' on Mercury '56 (a version by German conductor/ violinist Helmut Zacharias was bigger).