Leita Jolly

Leita Jolly was celebrating her 100th birthday the week she was interviewed in 2003. On the occasion, she played the piano for her friends with her ragtime flare. In 1917, while World War I was ending, Leita was hired as a song plugger. Her main job was to play the latest songs in the music store while ensuring customers had access to the sheet music of the song she was playing. As soon as the sheet music was sold out, she was required to switch the “hit of the day” to another tune that was well stocked. She lived to be 103.