Rosy McHargue

Although he’s relatively obscure, Rosy McHargue was the next oldest active jazz musician ever sold, behind Eubie Blake (who managed to get to 100). Generally connected with Dixieland and 1920s jazz, McHargue in his old age progressed into a vocalist with an encyclopediac understanding of lyrics (including verses and alternative choruses) from many ignored songs in the 1920s and before. At age 15 in 1917, he proved helpful at his initial professional engagement (using the Novelty Syncopators) and produced his documenting debut in 1922 playing “Wow Wow Blues” with Roy Schoenbeck’s Orchestra. Various other early recordings included schedules using the Seattle Tranquility Kings (1925), Frankie Trumbauer (1931), Ted Weems (1934), and Jimmy McPartland (1936). McHargue caused the Wolverines in past due 1925 after Bix Beiderbecke acquired departed, spent per year using the Seattle Tranquility Kings, and used Ted Weems from 1934-1942. After shifting to LA, he proved helpful briefly with Eddie Miller and Benny Goodman before having much longer stints with Kay Kyser (1943-1946) and Crimson Nichols (1947-1951). McHargue, who had taken the purposely cornball clarinet single on Pee Wee Hunt’s improbable hit edition of “Twelfth Road Rag,” performed and documented with Pete Dailey, and was energetic in Los Angeles’ Dixieland picture, still showing up at jazz celebrations in 1997. He passed away in his house in Santa Monica on June 8, 1999. During his loss of life he was regarded among the oldest energetic jazz musicians on earth. He recorded being a leader for Leap (1947 and 1952), Fairmont, Audiophile, Protone (1957), and Stomp Off (1992).