Centenarians

This audio only interview was conducted for a radio program by Dan Del Fiorentino and donated to the NAMM Oral History program: Louise Tobin was a popular singer during the golden years of the Big Band Swing era. She performed with such bands as those led by Jack Jenney, Will Bradley, Benny Goodman, Bobby Hackett, Ben Pollack and Ziggy Elman. Louise was born in Texas and was singing on stage by the time she was 12 years old. She joined the Art Hicks in 1935 in Dallas before joining the very successful dance band of Ben Pollack in 1937.

Orrin Tucker’s Orchestra recorded one of the greatest successes of the big band era, “Oh Johnny Oh.” This novelty number featured the shy voice of Wee Bonnie Baker and has come to symbolize the musical era and the social climate of America during the late 1930s and early 1940s. Orrin enjoyed a full career as a bandleader and player in ballrooms and supper clubs up to the 1990s. His personality and charm led to a number of acting roles in his later years. Orrin’s NAMM Oral History interview was completed on April 25, 2003.   When Orrin passed away in April 2011 at the age of 100, h

This audio only interview was conducted for a radio program by Dan Del Fiorentino and donated to the NAMM Oral History program: Bea Wain was a singer with the big bands during the great swing era of the 1940s. She began singing with Artie Shaw's orchestra in 1937. Her greatest success came as she sang for Larry Clinton's orchestra where she recorded the pop hit "Deep Purple" and her signature song "My Reverie." On April 30, 2017, Bea celebrated her 100th birthday in Los Angeles and passed away that August.

Donald Waxman is a noted composer who served as editor at Galaxy Music Publishing Corp., as well as several positions on the ASCAP and MPA Boards over the years. He is best known for his contributions to piano pedagogy and educational method books for first time piano students. He was the managing editor at Galaxy from 1970 until 1990, an experience that provided some wonderful stories for our collection.