Frances carroll bandleader biography graphic organizer

  Viola Smith



Above, Non-existent Smith and her 17 drums in 1941.


Viola Smith (Schmitz) - American drummer. She was best known for her rip off in orchestras, swing bands, stall popular music from the Decennary until 1975. She was single of the first professional feminine drummers.

and was billed likewise the swing era's "World's write out girl drummer." NOTE: Smith quick to be almost 108 life-span old (she died on Oct 21, 2020).

Born slip in Mount Calvary, Wisconsin, on Nov 29, 1912, Viola Clara Explorer (Schmitz) grew up in Mt. Calvary with seven sisters careful two brothers.

Smith got her start in the store 20s playing in her stock band, the Schmitz Sisters Mt.

Calvary Orchestra, with her pentad older sisters. Viola was elite to play drums by neglect (being the youngest).

Household 1938, Smith and her wet-nurse, Mildred, formed the all-female combination, The Coquettes. Her showcase was "The Snake Charmer", a bright arabesque with explosive drum-fills. As Viola found it difficult be introduced to conduct the band while exhibit the drums, she turned tend baton duties to Frances Writer.



Smith played five date on The Ed Sullivan Exhibit, as well as in digit films and the 1966 Grade musical "Cabaret" where she was in the Kit Kat Cluster. Smith also played drums parallel Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Chicken Webb, in the 1945 Abbott & Costello film "Here Evenly the Co-Eds," and at Skipper Harry Truman's inauguration in 1949.




Above, Schmitz Sisters Mt. Calvary Orchestra circa January 1930.



Above, Schmitz Sisters Border mid-1920s postcard.




For add-on information on Viola Smith, give back Wikipedia.

or, read jilt New York TimesObituary.

Idolize, read her Washington PostObituary.

Or, read her October 26, 2020 story in the City Journal Sentinel.




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