Manning's first brass band was organized in 1881.

Like all the ethnic groups of settlers who came to the midwest, the Manning pioneers brought their songs and dances with them. Their love of music offered their chief means of entertainment, and accordion players and "fiddlers" were plentiful. Sometimes families formed their own music groups and soon found themselves entertaining others.

For want of dance halls, barn dances were popular and in some areas neighbors got together and built a portable sectional dance floor. When an occasion such as a wedding, birthday, or anniversary arose, the portable floor was hauled to the farm place, set up in the grove, and musicians and dancers would hold forth sometimes until dawn.

As years progressed towns built dance halls and dance bands were formed and by the early 1920s and on into the '30s and 40's one could attend a dance every night of the week at some town within a 25-mile radius of Manning.

Love for music was by no means confined solely to dance music. Down through the years Manning has experienced the organization of brass bands, lodge bands, concert bands and orchestras, choral groups, church choirs and small instrumental and vocal groups. As time passed on and the pace of living quickened, less time was available for people to participate, but our love for music is still being satisfied -- thanks to our local school for the excellent and diversified music program.

Manning's first brass band was organized in 1882 under the direction of Fenner Blocker of Westside. Personnel included Henry Hoffmann, John Hoffmann, J.T. Arp, John Albert, Chas. Schmidt, August Kuhn, Fred Schrum, August Schroeder, Chris Tank, and Albert Fonken.

A ladies' band was organized in 1888 by Prof. Blocker. Members were Adora Smith, Gertrude Bell, Effie Lathrop, Clara Branson, Maude Rogers, May Benson, Kate Phillips, and Millie Blair. The group disbanded in September, 1890.

In an 1882 issue of the Monitor we find a notice that the Manning Orchestra, under the direction of C.G. Hardee, is available for engagements with a repertoire of music for the latest type dances.

The Manning Odd Fellows lodge also sponsored a band made up of the town musicians who were members of the lodge. They were outfitted in uniforms, just as were the preceding ladies' band and the first brass band.

Until the good high school bands were organized, the town always had a town band. So many years are involved and so many changes in personnel took place that it would be impossible to list members. The organization was naturally made up of mostly all of the musicians around town who, though probably involved in other musical units such as the dance bands, concert orchestra, etc., came to band practice once a week and played for weekly concerts in the park or on Main Street during the summer months. For the Main Street concerts the band members sat on wooden folding chairs placed on a hayrack pulled to the corner of Main Street. Uprights on the four corners of the rack held the string of lights and, in spite of hot nights and millions of bugs, the band played on! Musicians from other towns often came on their off nights to "sit in" and help with the concerts. Charles E. Lyden, the photographer and a trumpet player and musician of note, was the director. Mr. Lyden was also a composer and the band played some of his march compositions.

Band practices were held in various buildings and in the '20s they were held in the old "hose house," a building built beneath the framework of the town water tank. The building housed the fire fighting equipment of the fire department and had a large room on the second floor. Later practices were held in the big room of the Lyden Studio on the second floor on the west side of Main Street. Many a gem of wisdom was passed among the musicians during practice, one of which was when Mr. Lyden pointed to Bruno Thomsen complaining that the snare drums were too loud. Pete Kuhl, bass drummer, pointed to Bruno's music at the "pp" sign denoting very soft, and informed him that double p didn't mean "pound plenty"!

One of the early orchestras was the Jentsch orchestra composed of Paul Jentsch, violin; Earl Jentsch, trombone; Eddie Petersen, drums; Andrew Petersen, bass viol; Harry Rix, trumpet, and Bonita Kuhl, piano. This group was in popular demand for many of the town's events such as the home talent plays, parties, civic dinners and dances.

Manning had a town band in the 1920's.

For mainly their own joy and entertainment a group of local musicians also formed the Manning Concert Orchestra. C.E. Lyden was the director. Other members included William Schelldorf, Arthur Rix, Ed. Reimers, Harry Rix, Earl Jentsch, Paul Jentsch, Herman Behrens, Andrew Petersen, Bert Petersen, Bruno Thomsen, Eddie Petersen, Bonita Kuhl, Odessa Wycoff, Mrs. Herman Meyers and others. They held their practices in various homes and at times at the rear of the Schelldorf Drug Store.

Schmidt's Famous Players was an organization formed in March, 1933, under the managership of John Schmidt. The group was booked for popular and German and Bohemian dance music. They were: William Schelldorf, Andrew Petersen, Bonita Kuhl Woods, Rose Rohner, C.E. Lyden, Bruno Thomsen, and AI Hoffmann.

Members of the high school bands sometimes sat in with the town band for their concerts and in 1933 the high school band, under the direction of Milo Myers, gave summer evening concerts in the city park on Thursdays.

The Five Mile House organization also had a German band that played for many of the festivities at their hall, inciuding the famous "KingShoots. "

Moeller's Accordion Band was also in great demand for many dances and festivities with a variety of ethnic and modern music.

Adults were not the only ones to find entertainment in musical organizations.

In 1922 Harry Rix brought a group of neighborhood kids together, some of whom were his pupils, and formed a youth orchestra composed of Clara Wyatt (Martens), Merlin Wyatt, Arthur Rix, Vernon Petersen, Edwin (Skinny) Martens, and several others who joined and later dropped out. Some of the members of this group, with the addition of Norb Albertson and Bill Petersen and others, helped Helen Spurrier (Wiese), Manning high school vocal instructor, form a school orchestra. Special band instructors had not yet come into the curriculum. Miss Spurrier went beyond the call of duty and did much to promote musical activity in the school. She also composed the Bulldog fight song being used today.

The local band that became the best known throughout Iowa, most of Nebraska, southern Minnesota and South Dakota, and northern Missouri got its start here in 1920.

After becoming acquainted with a small group of musicians playing in Dedham, Pete Kuhl drafted them and formed a band with the help of his sister, Bonita. She had just completed her piano studies at the Davenport Conservatory of Music.

The original band, called "Pete's Peerless Players," consisted of Pete and Bonita, Leo Babl, trumpet; Joe Bauer, alto sax; Earl Jentsch, trombone; Harvey Wood, tenor sax; Earl Roberts, banjo. After Bonita retired, Ellen Roberts took over the piano playing.

The popularity of the band increased so rapidly that bookings became too demanding for those established in daytime jobs and in 1924 Wilfred Rohde came on at trombone, and Joe Brady, piano.

Making an appearance at about this same time was an accordion-playing farm boy from South Dakota by the name of Lawrence Welk. Welk organized a group known as the "Hotsy-Totsy Boys" and with both bands booking in the same area, the two band leaders became good friends.

Dance jobs came thick and fast for Pete and in 1925 he purchased a Cadillac touring car for transportation. Wm. Prior also joined the band at that time. In 1929 the personnel changed to Paul Forsyth, Leo Daeges, Louie Subbert, Earl Roberts, Russ Wallace, George Gordon, and Bobby Messick, a young man brought in from Omaha as the main vocalist. The band's name was then changed to "Pete Kuhl & His Seven Aces."

A year later, Eddie Fischer, a young Manning farm boy with great natural talent, joined the band at first trumpet. Bernie Davis of Carroll was also added so Pete added the phrase, "There's 9 of Them" to the title. In 1932 he had to change the 9 to 11 because Sam Clay and another player were added. At this time, with 11 members, a new bus was purchased because of bookings in a larger territory.

Other members at various times in the '20s were Algie Goodell and Cub Wilcox, and in the '30s, Don McNutt, Jack Laird, Duke Woods, and Pete Petersen. From 1936 through 1942 more personnel changes took place; among them were Chris Bauer, Les Theobald, Ed Ochsner, Carl Reinhart, Charles Madsen, Dale States, Bob Jeness, Jim Ellis, and Bernie Burnside.

The band had many radio fans gained from broadcasts over KMA, KFNF, WOW, and the Yankton, S. D. station.

With the advent of World War II, men went to the service, breaking up most bands, and many dance halls closed and the dance craze faded. Pete discontinued his band in late 1942.

Seven years later he got a little group together composed of George Fischer, clarinet; Pete's sister, Bonita Hagedorn, piano; Ralph Grundmeier, banjo; Gary Schroeder, accordion. They played for many events in the local area until disbanding when Pete retired from the music business.

In the late '20s, Joe Bauer, who came here originally from Omaha with a tire and battery service business, formed a band called "The Paragon Orchestra."

He was one of the original "Pete's Peerless Players" and after several years with Pete, decided he might like a band of his own. As was typical of those days, musicians changed from one band to another, and Joe's personnel consisted of Harry Thorp, trombone; Doc Witte, bass; Max McCluen, trumpet; Earl Roberts, banjo; Joe Brady, piano; Joe Bauer, alto sax; Art Nielsen drums; Ray Koke, tenor sax; Art Rix, alto sax and clarinet.

This band also gained a wide range of popularity, with heaviest bookings in Nebraska and western Iowa and had a radio broadcast time every Monday noon over WOW, Omaha. The band also became an advertising representative of the Manning Mill when the Mill was owned by R.G. Sutherland and Scott Mayberry. With financial assistance from the Mill, Joe purchased a new bus for the band, changed the band's name to "The Fidelity Orchestra" to help promote the Fidelity pancake flour manufactured by the Mill.

Joe also made the first crystal ball for the local opera house. He used inch-square mirrors handsoldered into a lead wire frame. It was not as large as the one that later replaced it, which was made by Emil Jensen.

Sanders Family Band.

Emil Sanders came here from Germany at the age of 15 and brought his accordion with him. He played as an individual using a bass drum with his accordion until 1922. He then purchased a snare drum and a few other instruments. For a short time he played drums, with John Grimm on accordion, Annie Grimm on piano, and Herman Behrens, violin.

In 1924 the family got into the act, with Louie on drums, Emil and Bill, accordions. A few years later Max joined them on banjo. As time went on and the boys got married the band split up but Emil went on to play for various functions right up until the time of his death.

The family band played in Omaha at wedding dances, house parties and barn dances in the area until the Bohemian bands started to become popular.