Fred Waring facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fred Waring |
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Fred Waring in a 1944 advertisement
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Fredrick Malcolm Waring |
| Born | June 9, 1900 Tyrone, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | July 29, 1984 (aged 84) State College, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, traditional pop |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, bandleader, radio and TV personality |
| Instruments | Vocals, banjo |
| Years active | 1923–1984 |
Fredrick Malcolm Waring Sr. (born June 9, 1900 – died July 29, 1984) was a famous American musician and bandleader. People often called him "America's Singing Master" because he taught many people about choral music. He was also known for helping to create the first modern electric blender, the Waring Blendor.
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About Fred Waring
Fredrick Malcolm Waring was born in Tyrone, Pennsylvania, on June 9, 1900. When he was a teenager, Fred, his brother Tom, and their friend Poley McClintock started a band. It was first called the Waring-McClintock Snap Orchestra, and later became Fred Waring's Banjo Orchestra. They played at school parties and dances and became quite popular in their local area.
Fred went to Pennsylvania State University to study architectural engineering. He really wanted to join the Penn State Glee Club, but they turned him down every time he tried out! His Banjo Orchestra became so successful that he decided to leave college and tour with his band. This band eventually became known as Fred Waring and His Waring's Pennsylvanians.
He married Dorothy McAteer in 1923. Later, he married Evelyn Nair in 1933, and they had three children: Dixie, Fred Jr., and William. After that, he married Virginia Clotfelter and had another son, Malcolm. His son, Fred Waring Jr., became a conductor and jazz trombonist. His grandson, Jordan Waring, is a composer who writes music for orchestras.
Fred Waring's Career
Records and Radio Shows
In 1922, Fred Waring's band got a lot of attention at a student festival. This led to them performing in big cities like Detroit, which helped launch their career across the country.
From 1923 to 1932, "Waring's Pennsylvanians" were one of the bestselling bands for Victor Records. Even when they stopped recording, their music was still very popular on the radio. One of their famous radio performances was "You Gotta Be a Football Hero" in 1933.
The Fred Waring Show was a popular radio program that aired from 1933 to 1957. Fred added a men's singing group to his band and hired Robert Shaw to train them. Robert Shaw later became a very famous conductor himself.
During World War II, Fred Waring and his group helped the country by performing at war bond rallies. They also entertained soldiers at training camps. Fred wrote and performed many patriotic songs, like his famous "My America." He even bought a resort called the Shawnee Inn and broadcast his radio shows from there.
In the 1940s and early 1950s, Waring and His Pennsylvanians had many hit songs. They sold millions of records! Some of their popular songs included "Sleep", "Battle Hymn of the Republic", and "White Christmas". In 1964, he even recorded two albums with famous singers Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby.
Choral Workshops
In 1947, Fred Waring started the Fred Waring Choral Workshop. This was held at his headquarters in Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania. At these workshops, musicians learned how to sing with great skill and passion. When these singers went home, they shared what they learned, and Fred Waring's way of choral singing spread across the country. He taught and supervised these summer workshops for 37 years until he passed away.
Television Appearances
Fred Waring also brought his show to television with The Fred Waring Show. It was on CBS Television from 1948 to 1954 and won awards for being a great musical program. Even when musical tastes changed in the 1960s and 1970s, Fred Waring adapted. He introduced his Young Pennsylvanians, a group of younger performers who sang both old favorites and new songs. This helped him stay popular, and he continued to tour a lot.
The Waring Blender
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In the 1930s, an inventor named Frederick Jacob Osius asked Fred Waring for money to help make an electric blender. Fred Waring invested $25,000, and the "Miracle Mixer" was introduced to the public.
In 1938, Fred Waring changed the company's name to the Waring Corporation. The mixer's name was changed to the "Waring Blendor." The "o" at the end made it a bit different from other blenders.
The Waring Blendor became a very important tool. Hospitals used it to prepare special diets for patients. Scientists also used it for research. For example, Jonas Salk used a Waring Blendor when he was developing the polio vaccine. By 1954, over a million Waring Blendors had been sold! Today, Waring is part of the Conair Corporation.
Later Life and Legacy
Fred Waring passed away from a stroke on July 29, 1984, in State College, Pennsylvania. This happened after he had just finished videotaping a concert and his annual summer choral workshop. In his later years, he held many workshops at Penn State University. In 1984, he chose Penn State to keep his collection of archives and special items. He was also a trustee for the university and was recognized as a distinguished alumnus.
Awards and Honors
In 1983, Fred Waring received the Congressional Gold Medal. This is one of the highest honors a civilian can receive in the United States.
Many places are named after the Waring family. For example, Waring Commons at Penn State is actually named after his grandfather, William Waring. Fred Waring Drive in Southern California is named after him, as are other roads in the area. Waring Drive in Delaware Water Gap, where his music company was located, was named for him in 1991.
Fred Waring was also the president of The Lambs, a famous club for people in the arts, from 1939 to 1942. In 1997, he received a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars.
Comic Strip Collection
Fred Waring loved collecting cartoons and comic strips! At Penn State, there's a meeting room with many cartoons drawn by famous artists, all in his honor.
From 1943 to 1974, Fred Waring owned the Shawnee Inn and Country Club in Pennsylvania. In 1948, he started inviting members of the National Cartoonists Society to visit his inn every June. This became an annual event for 25 years! Because of this, Fred Waring built a huge collection of original artwork created by these cartoonists. The Fred Waring Collection has over 600 original cartoons, including many drawn on the inn's stationery.
Some of the famous artists who contributed to his collection include Milton Caniff (who drew Steve Canyon), Bil Keane (who drew Family Circus), and Ted Key (who drew Hazel).
See also
- Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum
- List of newspaper comic strips
- Michigan State University Comic Art Collection
