Rephonic
Artwork for Make Believe Ballroom

Make Believe Ballroom

Jeff Bressler
Big Band Era
Swing Jazz
Glenn Miller
Make Believe Ballroom
Artie Shaw
Benny Goodman
Ella Fitzgerald
Delta Four
Louis Armstrong
Count Basie
Chattanooga Choo Choo
1940s
Billie Holiday
Charlie Barnett
Music History
World War II
Duke Ellington
Ivy Anderson
Jazz
Ethel Waters

Hosted by Jeff Bressler, The Make Believe Ballroom, each week, brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s.The program has been broadcast almost continuously since 1935. Each program mixes beloved 78 rpm records, stories, listener requests, and special guest features, all geared to bring you the music and history of the big band era.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes209Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Music CommentaryMusic HistoryMusic

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Make Believe Ballroom

Latest Episodes

The Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s.

On this week's program: A song from the 1700s that was swingin in the 1930s and 40s, a questionable Fats Waller tale, Frank Sinatra's first record ... more

The Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s.

On this week's program: A trivia question about a dance enjoyed by young and old alike, a groundbreaking female vocalist, some songs from the 30s t... more

The Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s.

On this week's program: Did Big Bands of the 30s and 40s ever play classical music, the B side of a record we played last week, our yearly tribute ... more

The Make Believe Ballroom with Jeff Bressler brings you Classic Big Band Hits from the 30s and 40s.

On this week's program: Lionel Hampton changes instruments, a unique big band business model, Charlie Christian and his electric audition, a cartoo... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Manny Klein
One of the greatest all-around musicians and trumpet players of the big band era
Episode: Make Believe Ballroom - 7/25/25 Edition
Lenny from Down the Block
Retired producer Emeritus of the Make Believe Ballroom and host of Record Pick of the Week
Make Believe Ballroom
Episode: Make Believe Ballroom - 4/11/25 Edition

Host

Jeff Bressler
Host of the Make Believe Ballroom, delivering classic big band hits and engaging narratives.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 18 ratings
  • Keep Them Playing

    Love Big Band. 30s and 40s are my favorite. Glad I came upon you on iTunes podcast. Thank you. Gets me through the bad days we’re going through

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Big Band Babs
    United States7 months ago
  • Make Believe Ballroom

    Great show gives pleasure to my 90 year old mom and in joy the lovely collection of music!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    tom from babylon
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Expectations of nostalgia and connection to personal stories resonate with the audience.
Listeners express their love for the show and its classic big band selections.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Make Believe Ballroom -5/30/25 Edition
Q: Can you talk about that devastating cabaret tax once again?
Jeff discusses the cabaret tax's impact, explaining it levied a rate of 5% on revenues from venues offering live entertainment, which significantly increased to 30% during WWII, drastically affecting big band revenues and leading to their decline.
Make Believe Ballroom - 4/18/25 Edition
Q: Did Bing Crosby and his brother Bob ever record together?
Jeff confirms that Bing and Bob collaborated a few times, including a Dixieland-style version of 'I'm Walking the Floor Over You'.
Make Believe Ballroom - 11/22/24 Edition
Q: What was the original theme song for the Make Believe Ballroom?
The original theme song was Razzaf and Deniker by Charlie Barnett and his Glen Island Casino Orchestra, recorded in 1936.
Make Believe Ballroom - 2/14/25 Edition
Q: Can you stop playing scratchy records?
There is a balance between playing remastered tracks and preserving historical records, which may have a lower sound quality due to their popularity.
Make Believe Ballroom - 2/14/25 Edition
Q: Do you play songs by the likes of Al Jolson or Eddie Cantor?
While the show doesn't traditionally feature Jolson or Cantor, requests like this are honored, as seen with two Eddie Cantor songs played in response.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Make Believe Ballroom

What is Make Believe Ballroom about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A journey through the classic big band hits of the 1930s and 1940s, featuring a blend of beloved 78 rpm records, stories, and listener interactions. The program promotes community engagement by inviting listener requests and sharing personal anecdotes related to the music and artists of the era. To add depth, special guest features are occasionally included, enriching the historical context of the songs. The approach emphasizes not just the music itself but also its cultural significance, making it accessible to long-time fans and newcomers alike, while creating a nostalgic atmosphere reminiscent of the original broadcasts from the 1930s.

Where can I find podcast stats for Make Believe Ballroom?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Make Believe Ballroom. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Make Believe Ballroom and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Make Believe Ballroom get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Make Believe Ballroom, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Make Believe Ballroom?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Make Believe Ballroom, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Make Believe Ballroom have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Make Believe Ballroom has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Make Believe Ballroom?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Make Believe Ballroom:

1. Plastic Model Mojo
2. The Warrior Next Door Podcast
3. The History of WWII Podcast
4. The Moth
5. Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade

How many episodes of Make Believe Ballroom are there?

Make Believe Ballroom launched 5 years ago and published 209 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Make Believe Ballroom?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Make Believe Ballroom?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Make Believe Ballroom from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Make Believe Ballroom?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Make Believe Ballroom. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Make Believe Ballroom?

Recent guests on Make Believe Ballroom include:

1. Manny Klein
2. Lenny from Down the Block

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days