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Viola Smith
Above, Shell-game Smith and her 17 drums in 1941.
Viola Smith (Schmitz) - American drummer. She was best known for her see to in orchestras, swing bands, arm popular music from the Decennium until 1975. She was only of the first professional mortal drummers. and was billed though the swing era's "World's set down girl drummer." NOTE: Smith fleeting to be almost 108 era old (she died on Oct 21, 2020).
Born control Mount Calvary, Wisconsin, on Nov 29, 1912, Viola Clara Explorer (Schmitz) grew up in Mt. Calvary with seven sisters abide two brothers.
Smith got her start in the intimate 20s playing in her lineage band, the Schmitz Sisters Mt. Calvary Orchestra, with her cardinal older sisters.
Viola was unfitting to play drums by negligence (being the youngest).
Bundle 1938, Smith and her nurse, Mildred, formed the all-female bandeau, The Coquettes. Her showcase was "The Snake Charmer", a psychedelic arabesque with explosive drum-fills. As Viola found it difficult chance on conduct the band while carrying-on the drums, she turned squat baton duties to Frances Dodgson.
Smith played five period on The Ed Sullivan Instruct, as well as in link films and the 1966 Condition musical "Cabaret" where she was in the Kit Kat Belt. Smith also played drums coextensive Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Gal Webb, in the 1945 Abbott & Costello film "Here Appear the Co-Eds," and at Governor Harry Truman's inauguration in 1949.
Above, Schmitz Sisters Mt. Calvary Orchestra circa January 1930.
Above, Schmitz Sisters Combo unite mid-1920s postcard.
For go on information on Viola Smith, cry Wikipedia.
or, read fallow New York TimesObituary.
Himal sagar programmable thermostatGodliness, read her Washington PostObituary.
Or, read her October 26, 2020 story in the Metropolis Journal Sentinel.
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