The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I found this album recently and had never seen a Barnum & Bailey Columbia record. Inside the album were pics from the Firestone Tire Company 50th Anniversary celebrated at the Ringling Bros. "Greatest Show On Earth" Circus in Charlotte, NC Monday November 6th, 1950. Also, for whatever reason someone included a pic of a '37 Ford...

Did you notice that one of the photos is signed to Mayor (somebody) with best wishes from Merle Evans? Evans led the Ringling band for 50 years according to Wikipedia. Many articles and pictures online. Interesting find!

I played for Merle Evans when RBB&B made its annual tour and played three days (six shows, two a day) in Raleigh, NC in 1965-66-67. At that point, Merle had been leading the band for over 40 years (he started with the band in 1919, IIRC). Back in the day, Ringling carried its own band all over, but by the later years it had only Merle, leading, and a drummer and a keyboard (Hammond electronic organ [with Leslie rotating speakers]); all the other men (factual statement, not gender-biased!) were local hires from the Musicians Union in whatever burg they were playing. I could write at length about the experience of circus music performing, but suffice it to say that it was intense and grueling. The first day we had a two-hour rehearsal and two three-hour shows, so all the brass players (including yours truly on trombone) were totally shot after eight solid hours of blowing our brains out. The next two days were murder, because you never recovered from day one. No matter what kind of shape you were in, your chops were wasted after the run. The irony is that despite all our hard work, the band could hardly be heard over the Hammond organ, which was amped up to eleven (this according to my wife, who attended one of the shows). But the pay was good for its day, and as a young graduate student I needed the money. Despite the nature of the job, I consider it an honor to have played for Merle Evans, who is a legend in band circles.

By the way, that's an excellent photo of Merle as I remember him: snappy uniform, and cornet tucked under his arm. He didn't play it much in later years, but if the band got off he would put that thing to his lips, turn around to the band, and blast out the notes to get us back on track. He always conducted with his back to the band because he had to watch the show for timing cues and changing numbers for each act.

Very interesting recollection, Henry, thanks for sharing such personal experience!

Henry, thanks for your personal recollections... it gives more insight into these photos.

You're quite welcome, guys; I'm happy to share. Merle's gone, and soon there won't be any of us left, either.

Kevin wrote, "…one of the photos is signed to Mayor (somebody)…."

I'm convinced that is Victor Shaw, mayor of the city of Charlotte, NC from 1949 to 1953. Charlotte is only 23 miles from Firestone's Textiles Division in Gastonia. There is a biography and picture of Shaw (lousy photo quality) with President Eisenhower at the link below. Shaw is second from the right, and certainly looks like the same person as in these photos.

http://www.cmhpf.org/S&Rs%20Alphabetica ... icshaw.htm

According to the link below, Shaw initiated the effort that led to the instruction in 1955 of the Independence Arena in Charlotte, a striking piece of mid-century architecture. (I like it, anyway). After 1955, when it was constructed, this is where the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus would "come to town."

http://clclt.com/theclog/archives/2013/ ... s-coliseum

Perhaps this 78 RPM album originally belonged to the Shaw family. I love these kind of finds! Thanks for sharing.

Best wishes, Mark

Mark, you are probably right... the album came from somewhere around Charlotte and the Firestone brochure is from the Gastonia, NC plant known as Loray Cotton Mill.

It is now an upscale loft apartment complex.
http://www.loraymilllofts.com

Curt, when I read that Firestone's Textiles Division was in Gastonia, I thought of the storied Loray Mill and thought, "what are the chances?" Your find evokes a lot of history, indeed. Thanks.

Best wishes, Mark

By the time I played the Big Show (RBB&B) in the latter 1960s, they had retired the canvas Big Top and were playing only big indoor arenas, as victorIIvictor posted in re: Charlotte. In Raleigh they played at the State Arena. However, the show still traveled by their own train from city to city. A really good glimpse of the tent-era circus and train is provided by the movie "The Greatest Show on Earth," in glorious Technicolor®. The movie contains a very brief glimpse of Merle Evans leading the band.