Frankie Masters

Born 12 April 1904, USA, d. 29 January 1991, USA. Masters began playing music while at college, eventually dropping out to become the leader of a theatre house band in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Several years later, in the late 20s, he decided to inaugurate his first dance band under his own name. His sidemen included Woody Kessler, Jerry Borchard, Steve Brown, Jay Mathews, Stuart Charles, Bill Pritchard, Kahn Keene, Vincent Ferrine, Buddy Shiffman, Carl Bean (2), Howard Barkell, Don Elton, Russ Dillon, Orin Crippen, Ray Noonan, Johnny Barshark, Phil Gray, Joe Reisman, Eddie Baxter, Hy Lesnick, Morty Nathan, Fred Smith, Jimmy Nash, Bill Aimesworth, Jack Wald, Bobby Lewis, Irving Trisco, Maxwell Anderson, Don Bell and Bill Johnson. The featured vocalists were Harlan Rogers, Gordon Goodman, Lou Hirst, Phyllis Myles (who later married Masters) and Marion Francis. There were also two vocal congregations: the Swing Masters and the Masters Voices. Initially taking dates in the local Chicago theatre circuit from where so many of its members were culled, the group's first professional hotel engagement came at the College Inn of the Sherman Hotel. They stayed there for nearly four years with regular remote radio broadcasts from that location. Masters became a national celebrity when "Scatterbrain" became a major hit single, producing high profile engagements at the Pennsylvania Taft and Essex House hotels in New York. By the 40s they were among the most successful dance bands of their generation, with Masters acquiring a regular slot on Coca Cola Company's Victory Parade Of Spotlight Bands. After the end of World War II the band moved to the St. Francis Hotel in California, before returning to Chicago and the Stevens Hotel (later the Conrad Hilton). After several years there Masters entered a period of semi-retirement in Cary, Illinois. By the late 60s he had made his return to the stage, playing mainly at private engagements in and around Chicago.