State

Carolina Bands Kyser, Kemp. Trotter. Ennis. Gsirlier. Howell nntl of lic*r famous orchestra leail- ers iiot tlieir start at Cliapel Hill, and more hands are still being organized. DISTINGUISHED nlurani an- lli«* rule rather than the excep¬ tion at The University of North Carolina, the institution hav¬ ing turned out more than its share of faim.ii' educators, statesmen, dor¬ ters, lawyers, athletes, etc., since its opening 148 years ago. However, there is one field in which Carolina graduates have made particularly noteworthy strides, and that is the field of popular music. No less than half a dozen big-time bands got their start at the Chapel Hill school, history reveals. Also it might be added that at the present there are four orchestras on the cam¬ pus. all of which will Ix-nr watching. Kay Kvser, the late Hal Kemp. John Scott Trotter. Skinnay Ennis. Jau Garber and Saxie Howell all formed tlieir original bands while at¬ tending the I 'niversity. And all, with, of course, the exception of Kemp, are still going strong. Kvser, Trotter, Ennis, Kemp and Howell all attended the University. Long identified as a Carolina alum¬ nus. Garber actually never went to college. did, however, play in and around Chapel Hill for many dances back when his band was first or¬ ganized. “I never wont to school in Chapel Hill.” the maestro wrote in a recent letter. "I did. though, play around that part of the country for years. I really consider Cliapel Hill and The University of North Carolina my starting point.” In 102.’. Garber was made an hon¬ orary member of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity at Carolina. And even to¬ day he still likes to boast that he re¬ ceived his Southern accent and his fraternity pin at Carolina. Kyser’s Band Best known perhaps of the Caro¬ lina alumni now fronting famous dance bands is Kay Kyser, of Rocky Mount. The bespectacled one. whose name is now a household won! from coast to coast, finished at the Uni¬ versity in 1926. Every Wednesday night more than 22,000.000 people tune in on the Ky- By II. С. (КЛМ ОКН ser radio show, the “ Ко liege of Musical Knowledge.” The musical quiz program, which features the mad antics of the North Carolina bandmaster as master of ceremonies, has been running for more than three years. It is regarded as one of the most popular musical shows on the air. It was while still a student at Г. N. C. that Kyser first crashed in¬ to prominence. He found himself in the limelight shortly after he had or- gani-ed the “Cheerio*." repnted to have been the best cheering body ever to sound a yell for Carolina. "While at the University. Kyscr was known ns “Kike" Kyser; but this rag wa- dropped after his orchestra achieved national fame. Kyscr set up his first orchestra at Carolina in l!*2.r>. along with Saxo¬ phonist Sully Mason, of Durham, who, incidentally, is still with the band. This outfit was known as the Tarheelians. and lasted about six months. Otlmrs followed. Success at Last The “Kollegc of Mu<ieal Knowl¬ edge" idea was the trick that turned the Kvser company into one of the most sought -after bands in the na¬ tion. Kyser hit on the scheme while playing at Chicago's famous Black Hawk restaurant. Sully Mason canto through with the euphonious title. George Washington Hill, president of the American Tobacco Company, listened to only 12 minutes of an au¬ dition. and signed a contract with Kyser. A JEFFERSON STANDARD POLICY Isa Declaration of Independence for the Family Equally n* famous before his death ns Kyser was Hal Kemp, of Char¬ lotte. who first hit the jazz trail while an undergraduate at Carolina. Kemp’s brilliant career in music was brought to an abrupt halt December 22, 104П. when he succumbed to pneu¬ monia in Madeira. Calif. Pneumonia had followed a* a result of an auto¬ mobile accident a few days earlier. Kemp differed from the well- known hoys who work tlieir way through college, in that lie played his way out. Kemp left college for Broad¬ way, when his band received New York offers too lucrative to pass up. Though lie was raised in Charlotte, Kemp was born in Marion. Ala., March 27, 1 00.%. He began studying music almost before he could read and write. His family moved to Charlotte when Hal was three. The Kemps still reside in the Queen City. Hal first played the piano, then the trumpet, and finally switched to the clarinet, on which he rose to fame and fortune. He entered The University of North Carolina in the fall of 1022 and immediately organized a band known as the “Carolina Club Or¬ chestra.” During summer vacations In took the band to Europe, and soon the organization was known as the " I n torn at ionnl Favorites.” Kemp and his boys once played a command performance ltefore the I’rince of Wales, now the Duke of Windsor. The orchestra also played before a number of other famous per¬ sonages while in Europe. In his senior year. Kemp reorgan¬ ized his troupe, and it was the result¬ ing band with which he rose to na¬ tional acclaim. The seven-piece com¬ bination included such now-famous artists a- John Scott Trotter. Skin- nnv Ennis and Saxie Dowell. Ennis and Trotter Ennis, who is a native of Salis¬ bury, remained with the Kemp Com¬ pany as drummer and featured vocal¬ ist until about two years before the bandmaster’s untimely death. He quit after forming his own band, which (Continued on page twenty-three)