Playing with Musical Heavyweights

And that’s the instrument he stayed with for the next 50-plus years, settling and working in San Francisco and raising a daughter with his wife, Barbie, whom he had married in 1937. He played with heavyweights Stan Kenton, Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Benny Goodman, Charlie Barnett, and Bing Crosby. Back then, hotels had house bands, and a featured artist would perform with that band. Over the years, he worked for several hotel bands, backing countless star performers, including Billie Holiday. He even taught Joey Brown, Betty Grable, Jimmy Durante, and other stars how to play a few chords “to clown around” on the ukulele.

Life changes

Life changed dramatically after his wife and daughter both died of cancer within three years of each other. “I was married 64 years,” he said proudly. “You can’t say that about many musicians. My wife went with me everyplace (on the road). She was such a nice woman. All the musicians loved her. When she died (in 2001), I didn’t think I’d live anymore.” His daughter, who died in 1998, idolized Billie Holiday and even sang like her, he said.

By then, he had moved to southern California, where his grandchildren were, and he discovered there were a lot of ukulele clubs. “So I thought, I’d better pick up that darn thing again,” he said.