British bandleader Jack Payne (1899-1969) played the piano in amateur dance-bands. Payne served in the Royal Air Force during World War I, and led dance bands for the troops. In the 1920s he played in a six-piece band which became the house band at the London Hotel Cecil in 1925. This ensemble regularly performed on the BBC in the latter half of the decade. In 1928, Payne became the BBC Director of Dance Music. His signature tune was Irving Berlin's 'Say it With Music', a song which he often sang to. After leaving the BBC in 1932, when he was succeeded by Henry Hall, he returned to playing hotel venues and took his band on nationwide tours and made a film Say it with Music (1932), followed four years later by Sunshine Ahead. In the 1930s he spent a little less time touring, so he could concentrate his efforts on running a theatrical agency. Payne composed 3 successful waltzes. He did some jazz recording, including working with Garland Wilson. He toured South Africa and France in the 1930s. In 1941 he returned to the post of Director of Dance Music at the BBC, remaining there until 1946. Following this he became a disc jockey. He followed this change of career by returning to the dance-music scene to present his own television show, Words and Music, which ran for three series. During his final years, Payne ran a hotel The Middle House in Mayfield, East Sussex which was not a successful financial venture for him. He was married twice - his first wife having died after 16 years of marriage. He had an adopted daughter with his second wife singer - Peggy Cochrane. He wrote two autobiographies. This tune featured in the Movietone Follies of 1930 was recorded the same year. The vocalist remained uncredited.
