The California Ramblers facts for kids
The California Ramblers were a super popular American jazz band in the 1920s. They recorded hundreds of songs! Many famous musicians started with them.
Meet the California Ramblers
The California Ramblers were an American jazz group. They recorded many, many songs throughout the 1920s. Four members of the band became famous leaders of their own big bands later on. These musicians were Red Nichols, Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, and Adrian Rollini.
How They Got Started
The band began in 1921. A banjo player named Ray Kitchenman formed the group. Even though the members were from Ohio, they chose the name "California Ramblers." They quickly became very successful. They were one of the busiest recording groups of the 1920s.
Recording Under Different Names
In late 1924, the Ramblers signed a special agreement with Columbia Records. They agreed not to earn extra money (royalties) from Columbia. In return, they could record for other companies using different names!
This allowed them to record for almost every independent record label. They recorded in the U.S., Canada, and the UK. They used over 100 different names! Some of their fun aliases included The Golden Gate Orchestra, Varsity Eight, Stokers of Hades, and The Goofus Washboards.
