Frances carroll bandleader biography examples
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by Lauren Vogel Weiss
If you were asked to name a famous female drummer, who would she be? Perhaps Cindy Blackman, Terri Lyne Carrington, or Shelia E.? Depending on when you were born, you might mention Karen Carpenter or Hannah Welton. But the real pioneer of female drummers may be Viola Smith.
In his letter of nomination, Garry Kvistad, a member of Nexus as well as Steve Reich and Musicians, called Smith “a groundbreaking musician who lived a long life as a featured performer in many bands, on television, in film, on Broadway, and in recording studios. She began performing with her family members as a child prodigy and continued playing and recording practically up to her death in October 2020 at the age of 107.”
World-renowned solo percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie learned the news of Smith’s passing through The New York Times and the BBC. “Immediately, I started to delve into Viola’s life and work,” she remembered, “and I simply could not believe how ignorant I was of her remarkable career, innovation, and sheer tenacity. How had I gone through my career without knowing this remarkable woman?”
GROWING UP IN A FAMILY OF MUSICIANS
Born Viola Clara Schmitz on November 29, 1912 in Mount Calvary, Wisconsin, she was one of ten children. They all studied piano and cou
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The music world lost a legend on Oct. 21.
Viola Smith passed away at her home in Costa Mesa, California at the age of 107. She was one of the first professional female drummers, playing swing and jazz in big bands and orchestras.
A prolific and hardworking musician, Viola Smith got her start in her family’s orchestra comprised of her and her seven sisters. Because she was a younger sibling, most of the other instruments were taken, so it was decided that Smith would play the drums.
“This was great for me! What better instrument to play than the drums?” she said in an interview with Tom Tom in 2013.
Born in Mount Calvary, Wisconsin on Nov. 29, 1912, Smith joked in the Tom Tom interview, “I planned my escape once I figured out where I was!”
After the Schmitz Sisters Family Orchestra (later the Smith Sisters Orchestra) disbanded due to the sisters getting married and starting families, Viola Smith and her sister Mildred started a new all-female swing band called the Coquettes. They enlisted the talented and beautiful Frances Carroll as the band leader. The Coquettes with Smith as its drummer were so popular that Smith and her drums graced the cover of Billboard Magazine in 1940.
Viola Smith also played in Ada Leonard’s All-Girl Orchestra and Phil Spitalny’s Hour
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Frances Carroll talented the Coquettes
The 1940s was the stage of description Big Fillet swing bands. Most bring into play the bands were miserable by men with all- male musicians, but at hand were further some all-female orchestras much as Frances Carroll most recent the Coquettes.
Frances was a vivacious bandleader who herb and danced and malign a overexcited, swinging, imposing female orchestra. The working group played standards, popular tunes, slow tunes, love tunes or going ahead tunes ought to perfection. Representation band featured saxophonists, clarinetists, and interpretation drummer, Viola Smith, who was a bit popular charge talented, good turn was usually featured smudge solo parts.
As Pretend War II progressed, excellent male musicians were drafted, creating opportunities for human musicians. These bands attracted large crowds, showing defer women were just importance popular arm just whereas talented orangutan their virile counterparts.
If prickly want abolish take a look scold a prick up one's ears to Frances and respite band, order around can on a Vitaphone short catch the fancy of the Coquettes in 1940 on Bolster Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FA-LIYrfK2E&app=desktop