Harry Baisden (aka Harry Bastin, ''né'' Cyrus Harry Baisden; 18 April 1893

Lester Prairie, Minnesota Lester Prairie is a city in McLeod County, Minnesota, United States, along the South Fork of the Crow River. The population was 1,730 at the 2010 census. Noted composer and conductor of The Concordia Choir, Rene Clausen was raised in Lester ...

— 4 December 1926

Augusta, Georgia Augusta ( ), officially Augusta–Richmond County, is a consolidated city-county on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia. The city lies across the Savannah River from South Carolina at the head of its navigable portion. Georgi ...

) was an American composer of popular music, arranger, pianist and an acclaimed dance orchestra leader. While a musician in the U.S. Army 2nd Infantry Band during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, Baisden composed several popular wartime songs, namely "Iowa, We Owe A Lot To You", "Meet Me At The Red Cross Ball", "I'll Steal You" and "Camp Cody Blues".

Early career

; Minnesota The earliest extant published reference found of Baisden's vocation as a musician appears in the 1910

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

City Directory. In 1911, Baisden was a pianist with the ''Lucas Show'', a

medicine show Medicine shows were touring acts (traveling by truck, horse, or wagon teams) that peddled "miracle cure" patent medicines and other products between various entertainments. They developed from European mountebank shows and were common in the Unit ...

managed by Dr. George F. Lucas. The show featured Baisden with the drummer Glenn Silk, The Three Aerial Lucases, gymnasts, York & DeLisco's Animal Circus (Mr. W. B. York (1870–) and Madam Lottie DeLisco (''née'' Lottie Kelsey; 1880)) and John P. Mack as comedian. The show reportedly performed to capacity audiences in and around

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...

and

North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north ...

and

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Native American tribes, who comprise a large porti ...

. Baisden ended his engagement with Lucas some time before September 1911. ; World War I During the war, Baisden was a member of the 2nd Iowa Infantry Band, mustered in 1916 at Camp Dodge, Iowa. At some point, the band (and orchestra), conducted by John Valentine Eppel (1971–1931), was deployed to Camp Cody, New Mexico, but, at some time around May 1918, was re-stationed at

Fort Dodge Fort Dodge is a city in, and the county seat of, Webster County, Iowa, United States, along the Des Moines River. The population was 24,871 in the 2020 census, a decrease from 25,136 in 2000. Fort Dodge is a major commercial center for North Cen ...

. ; After World War I For about 90 days, beginning some time after Christmas 1918, Baisden toured with "Uncle Sammy's Minstrels", a group of musicians and entertainers composed of musicians who had returned from World War I who, before the war, had been headliners in

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

and

minstrel show The minstrel show, also called minstrelsy, was an American form of racist theatrical entertainment developed in the early 19th century. Each show consisted of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music performances that depicted people spec ...

s. The touring company included the 163rd Depot Brigade Band from Camp Dodge, for which Baisden had been a musician. He had also been a piano player at the Magic Theater in

Fort Dodge, Iowa Fort Dodge is a city in, and the county seat of, Webster County, Iowa, United States, along the Des Moines River. The population was 24,871 in the 2020 census, a decrease from 25,136 in 2000. Fort Dodge is a major commercial center for North Cen ...

, from 1917 to 1919. ; California On May 14, 1924, Charles Lick opened a newly constructed ballroom on a beachfront ocean pier in the

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...

neighborhood of Westside

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

. The ballroom had an oval-shaped dance floor with enhanced acoustics. It was officially named the Bon Ton Ballroom, but was more widely known as the Venice Ballroom, and from 1942, as the Aragon Ballroom. The hall was large enough to be split into two separate ballrooms with different orchestras. From its inaugural day until 1924, Major Baisden, as he was then billed, led his 12-piece orchestra. The Venice Ballroom engagement included a national broadcast by

KFI KFI (640 AM broadcasting, AM) is a radio station in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, owned and operated by iHeartMedia, Inc. It began operations in 1922 and became one of the first high-powered, clear-channel station, clear-channel List of ...

radio in Los Angeles. In 1924, while engaged at the Venice Ballroom, Baisden became mentally ill.

Ben Pollack Ben Pollack (June 22, 1903 – June 7, 1971) was an American drummer and bandleader from the mid-1920s through the swing era. His eye for talent led him to employ musicians such as Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden, Glenn Miller, Jimmy McPartland, ...

, who had played for 11 months in Baisden's orchestra, took over as leader from October 1924 to fall 1925. ; Illness, hospitalization in Augusta, and death On December 4, 1926, Baisden died. The cause of death was " general paralysis of the insane". Baisden was buried at West View Cemetery in Augusta.

Selected compositions

; Harry C. Baisden,

Missouri Valley, Iowa Missouri Valley is a city in Harrison County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,678 at the time of the 2020 census. History Originally, Missouri Valley was known as St. John's (Findley or Old St. Johns), and established in 1856. This set ...

* "Parcel Post Rag", by Baisden (1913) ; Harry Baisden Publishing,

* "Paramount Rag", by Baisden (1915) ; Baisden and Poole,

* "Famous Players Rag", by Baisden (1915) ; Harry Baisden Publishing,

Camp Cody, New Mexico Camp Cody, located on the northwest side of Deming, New Mexico, was a World War I Army camp from 1916 to 1919. History During World War I, Camp Cody, commanded by Augustus P. Blocksom, was an army training camp for the National Guard units fro ...

* "Camp Cody Blues" ( fox trot) (1918) ; Homer-Garber (Homer Chalet Garber; 1878–1924),

Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines, ...

* "Meet Me at the Red Cross Ball", lyrics by Corporal John Dent Arnold (1890–1948), music by Baisden (1918) *
If You Just Must Go To War, Bring The Kaiser Back
(jazz song), by Garland Tucker & Baisden (1918) * "I'll Steal You", by Sidney Bartell, Corporal John Dent Arnold (1890–1948) & Baisden (1918) ; Baisden & Arnold, Kansas City, Missouri * "Iowa, We Owe A Lot To You", lyrics & words by Corporal John Dent Arnold (1890–1948) & Baisden (1918) ; Baisden-Stevenson Publishing Company,

Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

* "There'll Come A Day", lyrics by Carlyle Stevenson (1893–1969), music by Baisden (1920) ; Chas. F. Loveland and Harry Baisden, Los Angeles * "Built a World of Dreams", lyrics & music by Baisden (1923) * "California, We Owe A Lot To You", lyrics by Carlyle Stevenson (1893–1969), music by Baisden (1922) ; Publisher not known * "Come Back To Your Man, Mi Moi San", words & music by Harry Baisdell (pseudonym or misspelling of Baisden) (composed in or before 1918) * "Be As Good A Soldier As You Are A Son", lyrics by Mrs. M. Lauretta Green (''née'' Mary Lauretta De Poister; 1883–1928), music by Harry ''Baisdell'' (apparent misspelling of Baisden)

Selected discography

Harry Baisden and his Bon Ton Orchestra, Nordskog Records * 1922 — "Hot n' Cold", by Abe Olman & Henry R. Cohen, Nordskog 3023A * 1922 — "Who Loves You Most After All?" lyrics by Hal Billings (pseudonym of Harry D. Kerr), music by Henry R. Cohen, Nordskog 3023B

Notable alumni of the Harry Baisden Orchestra

, drummer *

Gil Rodin Gilbert A. Rodin (December 9, 1906 – June 10, 1974) was an American jazz saxophonist, songwriter, and record producer. He was born in the Russian Empire. Career Rodin was raied in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Rodin studied saxophone, clari ...

, saxophonist

Family

On July 27, 1918, Baisden married Jessie Marie Leonard (1899–1987) in Jackson County, Iowa.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baisden, Harry American jazz bandleaders Neurological disease deaths in the United States 1893 births 1926 deaths People from McLeod County, Minnesota People from Fort Dodge, Iowa 20th-century American conductors (music) Jazz musicians from Minnesota