Jazz in the Twin Cities Oral History Project: Interview with Frankie Roberts

Titles: Jazz in the Twin Cities Oral History Project: Interview with Frankie Roberts (Supplied title)

Description: BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Roberts grew up in Albion, Nebraska. He began playing the clarinet with a local band before going on the road with a band in 1922. He first came to Minneapolis in 1924 when he played with Bill Ackerman's Band at the Marigold Ballroom. He played with a variety musicians including George Osborne, Les Beigel, Glenn Miller, and Jake Heidrich. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: First introduction to jazz music; early days playing with bands; moving to Minneapolis; Musician's Rest; improvisation; playing with George Osborne, Glenn Miller and others; musician's union; campus bands; the Depression; Jake Heidrich; drugs and alcohol during the 1920s and 1930s; the later days of his musical career; George Barton; Red Dougherty (Or Maddox?); society bands.

Dates

• 09/28/1987 (Creation)

Creation

• interviewee: Roberts, Frankie
• interviewer: Warmington, Carl

Identifiers

• Library Call Number: OH 129
• Accession Number: AV1989.137.4

Holding Type: Oral History - Interview

Project

• Oral History - Project, MHS Collection, project: 'Jazz in the Twin Cities Oral History Project' <OH 129>

Quantity: 12 pages transcript

Format

• Content Category: text

Subjects

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