The Phoenix index., 1940-08-17

to go to school and to play foot
ball with the local high school
team. After he got to be pretty
goon on the trombone, John and
four other boys formed a little
band that played for neighborhood
dances. They made $3.50 each -
besides getting supper at the party
and felt that was fair enough.
When John was 16 years old he
was doing odd jobs for the presi-
dent of Johns Hopkins University
In the summer when mis- employer
was ready to leave town, the
family gave John a SIS tip and he
decided to leave town, too. With
his tip and savings, he came to New
York and by the time he landed,
had only $6 in his pocket For the
moment, at least, there was no
chance of getting back to Balti-
more, the fare being about So.
In New York, Kirby didn't know
just where to go first. The train
conductor suggested that he take
the subway to 135th street, so
John did. Then he picked out an
empty distillery and slept there
his first night in the big city. The
next day his trombone was gone.
WASHED DISHES
Kirby decided that he'd better
find some safer place or he might
wake up and find his few remain
ing dollars gone. He looked up a
relative who took him in, then
went down and got job washing
dishes on a dining car of the Penn
sylvania Railroad. In two weeks,
young Kirby had risen to the posi-
ton of bus boy and a little later
became a waiter on the train run
ming from New York to Harris
burg, Pa. Tips were good. John
saved his money and at the end of
a year paid $500 for a tuba. Fig
ured it would be tough for any.
body to steal such big instru
ment.
John spent all his spare time
studying the tuba and now and
then picked up job playing with
bands in Harlem. Whenever he
was broke, he went back to work
for the railroad.
In 1928 he had become so profi-
cient on the tuba that he was
able to devote all his time to mu-
sic, playing in Bill Browns orches-
ira at the Star Ballroom on 42nd
Street. Then he switched from
the tuba to string bass. His rep
utation grew and Fletcher Hender-
son, at the height of his fame,
offered Kirby contract
MONEY SCARED HIM
'The money scared me-" Kirby
laughs. "T was suddenly raised
1IOU1 9LO d WcCh W DOO
That was in 1929. Kirby learned
later that he had reason to be
scared Henderson broke the new
conner in with band in Provi-
oence. They played so fast that
John just couldn't keep up with
the rest of the boys. Henderson
telephoned to New York for an
other bass player, but couldn't get
any. So Kirby was saved and with
in three weeks had caught on to
the Henderson pace to such an
extent that he became a featured
attraction when the band returned
to the Roseland Ballroom in New
York
Kirby remained with Henderson
for five years. ''It was like spend
ing five years in a musical insti-
tution.' says Kirby. In 1884 he
ioined Chick Webbs band at the
Savoy Ballroom. But two years
later Kirby was back with Fletcher
Henderson. this time playing the
Grand Terrace in Chicago.
FORMS OWN BAND
After couple of months in the
Windy City. John Kirby returned
TO New York and formed his own
hand. In April, 1887, the band op-
ened at the Onyx Club on West
SIND Street. One dav in June, a
shy little girl came in and asked
if she could sing with the band.
Her name was Maxine Sullivan.
She sang differently from other
band vocalists, and she sang diff
ferent songs. One of them was
"Loch Lomond."
In March. 1888, Maxine and John
were married. Both have travelled
the high road to success ever since.
orp y,O1IT hpioU made