Musician. He was raised in an orphanage and was a self-taught musician. By 1905, he was playing cornet in the orphanage band. By 1910, he left the orphanage to join a dance band as a pianist; this job led to him working as a silent film pianist for a theater. His first job with the organ was in 1911 at Washington's Spokane Gem Theater. In the 1920s he worked as a pianist and theater organist. He later became an organist for silent films and was known as the "Poet of the Organ" and performed throughout the county in places such as the Chicago Theatre and the Grauman's Million Dollar Theatre in Los Angeles. From 1926 to 1933 he performed at the Paramount Theater in New York City along with his wife Helen, playing a twin organ console. After sound was added to films, he became a freelance artist on the Hammond organ in the 1930s. He played at the 1934 World's Fair in Chicago and became a staff organist at NBC Radio in Chicago. He was an LP recording artist with several hits and recorded rolls for self-playing organs. He and his wife appeared in some Warner Brothers short films from 1937-1940. By the 1940s, he was authoring instruction books, sheet music, lecturing, and giving lessons.
Musician. He was raised in an orphanage and was a self-taught musician. By 1905, he was playing cornet in the orphanage band. By 1910, he left the orphanage to join a dance band as a pianist; this job led to him working as a silent film pianist for a theater. His first job with the organ was in 1911 at Washington's Spokane Gem Theater. In the 1920s he worked as a pianist and theater organist. He later became an organist for silent films and was known as the "Poet of the Organ" and performed throughout the county in places such as the Chicago Theatre and the Grauman's Million Dollar Theatre in Los Angeles. From 1926 to 1933 he performed at the Paramount Theater in New York City along with his wife Helen, playing a twin organ console. After sound was added to films, he became a freelance artist on the Hammond organ in the 1930s. He played at the 1934 World's Fair in Chicago and became a staff organist at NBC Radio in Chicago. He was an LP recording artist with several hits and recorded rolls for self-playing organs. He and his wife appeared in some Warner Brothers short films from 1937-1940. By the 1940s, he was authoring instruction books, sheet music, lecturing, and giving lessons.
Bio by: Lanie
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