Count Basie took his "up and coming" bluesy big band into the Savoy Ballroom on January 16th, 1938. Drummer Chick Webb and his big band were regulars at the Savoy and Webb was considered the reigning King there. He was a favorite of the Lindy-hoppers who danced at the famed ballroom also known as "The Track" because of the grooves in the floor worn through by the shuffling of dancing feet.

The Savoy Ballroom was where the Lindy-hop swing dance was honed and popularized by swing dancers and jazz fans like Frankie Manning and Norma Miller. Although it was not known by the writer of this article, printed in the February 1938 Downbeat magazine, an explanation as to why Basie "sent" the dancers more than Chick Webb follows the article.