Evening star., 1937-08-15

land, and also the Geddes family. He
is related distantly to Senator Gerald
Nye OF North Dakota
He probably is the only American
dance band leader to have Indian
blood, his great-grandmother on his
fathers side having been half In
dian, half French. An ancestor, Ezra
Nye, was the famous New England
sea captain who commanded one Of
the first steam passenger vessels to
cross the Atlantic.
There are seven children in his fam.
lily, including five boys and two girls.
His four brothers are all musicians,
Two Of them, Gus and Bob, play tho
trombone and cornet, respectively. in
his orchestra. Jack plays the saxo.
phone with Johnny Green, and Ray.
the Oldest brother, has music store
in New York
Mayhew's father was farmer and
as youngster Nye worked on the
farm. When he was his family moved
to Milford, Ill, where he received his
elementary and high school education.
He learned how to play the piano from
his two older sisters when he was just
about able to stand up. His brother
Ray taught him to play the clarinet
when he was g. BY the time he was 8
he had mastered the allied reed in
struments. At that age he played the
clarinet for local barn dances, his
brother Ray playing the guitar and his
fot %
night. Mayhew learned the trumpet
when he was II, and by the time he
was II he was playing dance Jobs on
that instrument. When he was grad
uated from high school at II he joined
the first big band Of his career,
Schoenbeck's Syncopators, in Dam
vile, III.
He came to New York two years
later with Pee Wee Byers and PLAYED
at Barney Gallant's in Greenwich
Village. He joined Paul Whiteman's
orchestra in 1926. His brothers Bob.
who was only Is at the time, and
Jack joined him two years later. Be-
tween 1880 and 1882 he played with
Eddy Duchin. In the late Fall Of the
last year Nye organized his own band
and played at the Post Lodge in West
chester, N. Y, following with engage
ments at the Westminster Biltmore,
Meuhlbach Hotel In Kansas City, Clin-
ton Hotel in Albany, the Pierre in New
York and the Deauvllle Beach Casino
in Miami. While at the latter spot his
band replaced Rubinoff for several
.l, r,,-ftl
IF YOU could spend enough eve-
nings in the reception rooms Of
the National Broadcasting Co. in
New Yorks Radio City you would
| motne, N. B. C.'s night executive.
who does the honors of the estab-
| lishment with the courtly grace OF
an Old World chef de protocol Al
monte has been N. B. C.'s one-man
Welcoming Committee ior a decade.
and he greets distinguished guests
and artists As though he were born
to the job. That's not surprising.
since he was, in more ways than one,
DOIu 70 JASk WHICH requires
mum OF worldly tact and anability.
Born in Paris, the son OF a Spanish
| diplomat stationed in London, Al.
monte grew up in England and on
| the Continent. A visit 10 America
turned into period Of years OF work
in this country as Journalist and
advertising man. After working for
the Marconi Co. he went to South
| America and again to England as
representative OF telegraph com.
| pany.
Almonte's international background
| bore fruit soon after he joined N 3.
| c. as a member OF the sales depart
ment. In common with other mem
bers Of the sales staff, he spent an
evening now and then acting as n.
B. C's official welcomer. Liking the
work, he volunteered to take the place
Of his fellow workers, and soon showed
that he had special talents for the
job. 1t wasn't long before he was
night sales representative. then night
general manager and, finally, night
executive