Nathaniel Jack "Monk" McFay (June 27, 1908,

Wichita Falls Wichita Falls ( ) is a city in and the seat of government of Wichita County, Texas, United States. It is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Archer, Clay, and Wichita counties. Accordin ...

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

- October 22 or 23, 1994,

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

drummer and bandleader, known especially for leading jazz bands in

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

. McFay was working as a

bellhop A bellhop (North America), or hotel porter (carrier), porter (international), is a hotel employee who helps patrons with their luggage while check-in, checking in or out. Bellhops often wear a uniform (see bell-boy hat), like certain other Page (a ...

Amarillo, Texas Amarillo ( ; Spanish for "yellow") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Potter County. It is the 14th-most populous city in Texas and the largest city in the Texas Panhandle. A portion of the city extends into Randall County ...

when he was asked by Roderick Thomas to substitute on drums in the house band; he played with Thomas's

territory band Territory bands were dance bands that crisscrossed specific regions of the United States from the 1920s through the 1960s. Beginning in the 1920s, the bands typically had 8 to 12 musicians. These bands typically played one-nighters, six or seven n ...

until 1934, also doing a short stint with Red Williams during that time. In 1934 he played in

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...

with the Spotlight Entertainer Orchestra, the band led by Joe Brantley. In 1935 he relocated to

and played with Bernard Banks, who took his band to the Casino Ballroom in

Honolulu Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...

. He led his own band at the

Casa Loma Ballroom Casa Loma Ballroom is a historic dance hall in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri. It is located at 3354 Iowa Avenue in the city's Gravois Park, St. Louis, Gravois Park neighborhood. History The Cinderella Recreation Hall and Dance Academy was b ...

in 1936, then returned to Oklahoma City to play in the Spotlight band again, now under the leadership of Leonard Chadwick. In 1937 he toured Honolulu with his own band again, and returned to Oklahoma City a third time in 1938 to play with Leslie Sheffield's band. From 1939 to 1941 he once more played in Honolulu with a band which included

Henry Coker Henry Coker (December 24, 1919 – November 23, 1979) was an American jazz trombonist. Biography Coker was born in Dallas, Texas, United States. He made his professional debut with John White in 1935. From 1937 to 1939 he played with Nat Towles' ...

; he left Hawaii due to legal troubles. Following this he played with

Harlan Leonard Harlan Leonard (July 2, 1905 – November 10, 1983) was an American jazz bandleader and clarinetist from Kansas City, Missouri, United States. Leonard was born in Kansas City in 1905. A professional musician from the age of 17, he joined Bennie M ...

in 1945 and then joined Buddy Banks's band, where he recorded for the first time. He played with Banks until 1949.

References

*Howard Rye, "Monk McFay". '' Grove Jazz'' online. {{DEFAULTSORT:McFay, Monk 1908 births 1994 deaths American jazz drummers American jazz bandleaders Musicians from Kansas 20th-century American drummers American male drummers 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians