Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-01-10

Fred Huffer, Former Montanan,
Gains Recognition as Composer

Already noted as a musician, band
leader and arranger, the former Hell
ena resident now Is being featured as
a composer Of marches which are be
ing featured by the bands OF the army
and navy in nationwide radio broad
casts.
Among marches being featured are.
BLACK Joe March," dedicated TO Cen.
John j. Pershing; Fame and Fortune
March" March Of the Champions.
Hail to America March," and Master
| Craftsman March" the latter dedicat-
ed to the International Typographical
union. He has composed As compost
| lions for band and orchestra
! At the present time, in addition 10
his manifold duties as arranger and
composer. he finds time to conduct the
st. Bernard cOmmandery NO IS.
Knights Templar band, and conducts
the band of the Chicago Typograph-
ical union. He is also on the advisory
committee of the band of the Medinah
Temple Shrine
He has been and is connected with
some of the most famous music pub /
fishing houses in the United States.
He began devoting most Of his time
to arranging music in 1912. He made
many piano., orchestra and band ar
rangements for publication by the Tell
Taylor Music Co, the Forester Music
Co., Irving Berlin, Chart Music Pub
fishing House.
In 1928 he became the head of the
arranging and editing staff of the
Milton We'll Music Co., and at the
same time began making special ar
engagements for Isham Jones and Art
Kahn, noted orchestra leaders.
He signed, in 1925, contract with
Dan Russo and Ted Fiorito to make
arrangements for them exclusively,
continuing for two years. Since that
time he had been a free-lance arranger,
later becoming connected with viii
Rossiter, the Chicago publisher He is
still with Rossiter.
Fred Huffer, the eldest of four sons,
was born Jan. 2, 1879, at Stewardson,
Ill. In 1889 the family moved to Hell
ena where he received his education
in the Helena public schools.
His brother, Joseph, foreman of the
Montana Standard stereotyping de-
partment, recalls that his brothers in
terest in music began early. His first
instrument was trombone which Fred
blasted at long and loud, until his
mother suggested" that he take the
horn into the barn and practice.
His first instructor was his father,
who had been famous violinist. His
father had played first violin with the
Chicago Opera Co. and later with
various shows.
Fred studied music under Jacob
Zimmerman, a graduate Of Stuttgart
Conservatory of Music, and at that
time a well known Montana musician l
At an early age, he composed several e
which were played by the S
Helena band 7
He played number of instruments Z
in the Helena band and in 1897 and D
1898 played trombone in the Old Ming s
Opera house in Helena.
Deciding that Helena did not offer t
a large enough field for a musical b
career, he left Helena May IS, 1899, c
for Chicago. He was accompanied by S
a friend, Henry Houle, a talented Il
cornetist.
Arriving in the Windy city, they
soon found that getting position with =
a musical organization was no easy
matter Funds soon ran low and they
found it necessary to get steady en-
ployment. Houle went to work for the
Western Electric Co., and Huffer for
the National Biscuit Co.
They spent their evenings attend
ing different band rehearsals. During
this period they became associated
with the United States Juniors band
and in a short time Huffer was made
director, his first experience
as band leader.
In the spring of 1901, he secured an
engagement to play baritone horn-a
solo band MISUNDERSTANDING the cir
,us' engagement in Chicago. This taste
If circus life brought the usual virus,
circus fever" He then went to Omaha,
Neb., to join the Royal Railroad shows
The latter engagement was rich in
experience but was a disaster finan-
cially. After six weeks of touring Iowa, 4
he show busted" in Clinton, owing l
/ months salary to all employees
Back in Chicago, he joined the Cole 4
Dog and Pony show, playing during the 4
summer there and heading south late
IN the fall. At Jackson, Tenn, the
show closed. This time Huffer lost two 1
weeks salary.
1tcguIAlAlH W OI4CdBO, ne resumed II
The study of harmony under A. F.
Weldon, a famous Chicago bandmaster
and teacher. During that period he
played under the baton of such noted
masters as Weldon, Ellis Brooks, Fred
srick Phinney, T. P. Brooke and others.
But the circus called again. He
played with the Gentry Dog and Pony
how for three seasons, the Golmar
Bros. circus, the Harris Nickleplate 4
;ircus, the Great Lafayette, a vaude-
lille act.
He returned to Helena in November.
1906 While In Helena he changed from
his baritone horn, back to his first
he trombone, and finally to a trum-
yet, playing in the Helena band.
He went to Butte in January, 1907.
or four months. He was married there 4
Feb. %, 1907, and then went to st.
Paul to fill a contract with the New