Buddy Childers, Trumpet, 1926, St Louis, MO
Buddy, who was largely self-taught, played in school bands in Belleville, Illinois, and with several local bands. In 1942 he became the lead trumpeter for Stan Kenton. He was very young at this point, but the draft had taken most of the trumpet players and Kenton decided to take a chance with Buddy. He was more than capable, and remained with Kenton until 1954. During his time with Kenton he also managed to record with Benny Carter, Les Brown, Woody Herman, and Tommy Dorsey. In the mid '50s he moved to Los Angeles where he performed and recorded with Georgie Auld, Oliver Nelson, Quincy Jones, and others. Childers performed throughout California and has spent a considerable amount of time in Las Vegas. For several years he was music director at two casinos in Atlantic City.
Tex Beneke, Saxophone, 1914, Ft Worth, TX
Tex will also be remembered as a prominent bandleader as well as a saxophonist. As a youth he played the soprano sax and in his teens played with territory bands in Texas and Oklahoma. In 1938 he was hired by Glenn Miller after being recommended by Gene Krupa. Miller used Tex as a sax soloist and as one of the band's principal singers. He often took duets with Marion Hutton,and sang with The Modernaires on many of Miller's hit recordings of the period. He also appeared with the band in several films and became very popular, winning several polls. During the war years he conducted a navy band in Oklahoma. After the war he was selected by the Miller estate to assume leadership of the latter's ghost band. In 1950 he left the band to form one of his own. He was active in big-band music until his death in 2000.
Mel Powell, Piano, 1923, New York, NY
