Reeves Memories and History

Me and my beloved father


Correspondence from Email, November 2005

Walter Reeves was my Great Great Uncle as his Father was my Step GGGrandfather, William P Reeves. I would appreciate any info you have on the Reeves' musical history.

Many Thanks,Dale
San Diego

Hello Dale. If you have history that you could share, it would be of use to me. I have a box of old newspaper clippings of the bands events. I may add another page to the web page. The band made a record in 1955, a red vinyl 78rpm with "Them Basses" and "The Old Church Organ" on the record. Someone who saw the web site is sending me the record, I believe I have one stored in my old records as well.

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My only knowledge of Walter P Reeves was my mother's comment one day (about 20 years ago) when I started a family genealogy, that Walter was directing the "Merkley's Musical Maids" group in 1939, about the time of the San Diego part of the World's Fair. This group consisted of about an 80 member all-girl band sponsored by the H W Merkley Undertaking Company. They also performed at rallies for political campaigns in the area.

I have followed Walter's trail by the 1900-1930 census' and from 1910 on the census shows him (age 25) married to Constance (36) and having 2 step daughters, Elba (17) and Aline (15), and all listed as "musicians, orchestra" and in 1920 as "theatrical, orpheum circuit" and in 1930 with Gladys as his wife and listed as "music teacher, band director". I don't know what happened to Constance and the step-children and I haven't found information on the 2 sons mentioned in the above story. Walter died in Ventura, 11 Oct 1968, per the California SSDI.

Walter's Father was William P Reeves, who married my widowed maternal G Grandmother, Elizabeth McIntosh Laundy in Wreford (Junction City area), Kansas. They had Harry H. and Walter P. Reeves. William P and son Harry were in the Philippines during the Spanish American War, where William was with the Army band in the 18th Infantry. Harry went on to stay in the Army and apparently Walter picked up the music "bug" and followed in William's path.

This is all I have found so far..I would be happy to forward anything else I find and I would appreciate any clippings or other information you might have..

Many thanks and have a wonderful Holiday.

Dale

Thank you Dale. Mr. Reeves never spoke much about his first wife, although I knew that he had been married before. He had 2 sons, Jimmy and Johnny, both playing in the band in Bellflower.

I remember that Mr. Reeves was not happy with the city officials in Bellflower, who wanted special favors for their children in the band. Walter believed that they must earn the positions and places of honor. This so upset him that when people asked us where we were from at one concert in another city, that he replied "Reevesville." My dad was in the audience, and was upset that the city was not mentioned. The city gave no financial aid to the band. We were sponsored by the Lions club at one time, the VFW and the Civil air patrol. We had special uniforms when representing these groups in national competitions.


The VFW uniform, 1953


Representing the Lions club

One parade I remember in Los Angeles. We were marching in formation, Mr. Reeves always wanted us to look our best. From behind came young men dressed as Trojans, the mascot for UCLA? or USC? They began to walk between our ranks. This sent a signal to the older boys. One of them belted a Trojan with his tuba, they were expelled from our ranks. We had pride in our band, this was unacceptable behavior, to mock us in this way. Afterwards we went to our bus, the small members of the band and the girls went into the bus. The bigger boys and Mr. Reeves were outside expecting a fight from the Trojans, apparently we were not able to leave in the bus, because of being blocked by other vehicles.

Mr. Reeves bought a new bus and drove it home from the factory, mentioning that he climbed Pikes Peak, in Colorado. One humorous incident, or tragedy was when we were stopped for gas. He said to all that this was the time to use the restaurant. "or forever hold your peace." Well, not 10 minutes down the road a small boy had to release water. Mr. Reeves was a bit upset with him, but always with compassion he pulled the bus off the road. Something happened, for we were on a slope, the bus rolled backwards and was about to have the rear wheels go over a cliff. He ordered everyone out of the bus. He pulled the bus forward to safety and we went on our way.

We played concerts at MacArthur park in Los Angeles, then a peaceful place. Before we were to perform, a kid who was about 5 yrs old stood up and sang a song. Mr. Reeves commented to us that the small kids always receive more applause then those who truly are worthy of it. At the end of a performance if we had continuing applause he would have us stand up and bow, but never with heads down, but always facing the audience with a smile. No one wants to see the top of your head. This reminds me of the performers with Lawrence Welk, they all had big audience pleasing smiles, both Walter and Lawrence had been in Vaudeville, they knew how to please an audience.

After his retirement I visited Mr. Reeves with another band member and friend, Carl Cunningham. This was in September 1967, in Ventura California. Mr. Reeves had built a sailboat and he and Gladys had sailed from Ventura to Catalina Island. He mentioned one time being lost in a fog. I believe we were on a boat with Mr. Reeves and he was giving us fatherly advice, as we were young men just out of high school. One thing I remember him saying is "you have to toot your own horn."

Walter P. Reeves, 1967 at age 82


The sailboat they built


Carl, who played baritone, Gladys and Walter

When I moved north in 1970 I was surprised one day with a visit from Gladys. She came with a woman friend who wrote children's books. They were living in Fortuna California.

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Robert G, November 2006

Hello Fellow Reeves Ranger,

What a wonderful surprise to find your web site about Reeves Rangers. It brought back many, many fond memories, including the ones in which Mr. Reeves chewed me out. One of the first times was soon afer I joined the band, playing e-flat tuba. I was noodling on my horn when Mr. Reeves stepped up to his podium. He fixed me with his stern eye and said, "One more toot and you're oot" I never did that again. This was in 1949 or '50. I was in the band until high school, when I joined the BHS band.

I have a lot of other memories, including the Artesia Portugese parades with that wonderful food. A trip to Victorville on the old bus was very hot and the poor bus couldn't make it up a very long grade, so we all got out of the bus and walked to the top, while the bus limped up to where we were. Then we marched in the parade, which, if I remember right, was two or three blocks long. There is more to tell, but I will send more later. The reason I went on line to look for Reeves Rangers was that I dreamed about Mr. Reeves after all these years. That man had quite an impact on me.

Thanks for putting this wonderful site on the web. It really made my day.

Robert G.

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From Don - June 25, 2008

Ranger Memories

Don’t remember when I joined the Rangers, but it must have been around 1949 or there about. My first memories were my mom taking me to visit Mr. and Mrs. Reeves at the house. I wanted to learn to play the trumpet but Mr. Reeves said he had enough trumpet players and to choose another instrument. I don’t know why I didn’t fight it, but the next thing I knew I was blowing air through a Baritone. When I first started, I had a loaner baritone which had a bell pointing up like a Tuba. Those old enough might remember Jonny and Jimmies old Packard which, as I remember, broke down on one of the band’s vacations, so we had to put a trailer hitch on the bus. It seems like, at one time, the boys or somebody took the Packard out and rolled it over to see if they could. I remember one year Mr. Reeves wrote to the then Governor Knight and got a letter of introduction to the state parks where the band was going to visit, so they allowed fifty some wild kids to camp. It was a fun outing and we did learn a lot about working together when we had to pitch those circus size tents. To show our appreciation, right after the Gov got married, he and his wife were in the stands at a parade and as we passed, we slowly played the wedding march for them.

I do remember Mr. Reeves opinion of the Un-American judges (All American Judges Association) and one day when we were passing in review in front of them we just stopped playing and got out of step to show we did not think they were worthy of us playing for them.

Another memory I have was on a trip up the coast, we stopped in Monterey for a rest stop and went to a park to burn off energy. For some reason, one of our members got into a confutation with a local and it got to the point where the boy pulled a knife. Mr. Reeves just walked up to the boy until the knife was touching his shirt and told the boy to go away, I was impressed. Of course, we then loaded up and took off. I think everyone remembers our stops in Santa Claus, California . Every time we went north on a trip, we stopped in Santa Claus to get our well deserved ice cream cone or sundae. On one of our trips to San Francisco, we stayed at a hotel and were allowed to walk about in groups. We were sitting around at the end of the day when one of our members (who will remain nameless) came back with a black eye. Mr. Reeves just looked at him and just said “I guess the doors here are tougher then the doors in Bellflower.” Mr. Reeves was not one to just take it when he felt he or we were wronged. From time to time, he would complain to the city fathers that the drainage around his home/band area was poor. One day, he got fed up after a rain and the entrance was flooded, so he got Pat Cover to sit by the pond with a fishing pole to show it was deep enough to fish. On one occasion, we played at a beauty contest and to show their appreciation, the beauty queen was to kiss a member of the band. After a moment’s thought, he brought up the shortest member, Pat, much to our disgruntlement. I was sorry to hear about Pat. He and Spike were my friends. It was strange to hear about Pat as when I joined the Army, I was diagnosed with the same problem. Just a couple more thoughts: At one of our concerts, we played a song where Mr. Reeves would castigate sections of the band and after while, the whole section would just go off stage in a huff until only the percussion was left. Mr. Reeves was still directing just like he had the whole band. In the end, we all marched in and continued the concert. It sure felt strange to defy Mr. Reeves on anything. Another memory that I have is when Mr. Reeves was approached by Mr. Duncan who lived down the street. He gave the band a new Souzaphone, which of course, was named the ‘John Duncan’ in honor of him.

In 1956, Mr. and Mrs. Reeves sold the band to Mr. and Mrs. Coover who hired a couple directors to keep the band going. The first director was one to be a power figure and dealt with the band in what I felt was a too strong hand. Consistent with my temperament, I only lasted a short time before getting kicked out.

At first I missed the band as I had grown up with them. Guys like Carl Cunningham, Billy and Harry Rauch, Spike and Pat were sort of my social group. So it was a major change for me, but I was a senior in high school, so it was time to turn loose of the umbilical cord. There a lot more stories about the girls’ band, the Civil Air Patrol cadets and of course the junior band (AKA the subnormal band), but this is enough and if anyone would like to share with the site or has questions, just contact the Ranger site and I will expand on what I know.

Don Howea

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From Allen Johnson - First Trombone

Don Howe sent me the lead for the Reeves Ranger Band Web site. We all have lasting memories of Mr. and Mrs. Reeves - they were important to us at a formative time in our lives. They played the good cop/bad cop in my own mind. He was demanding and inflexible, traits displayed in many of the comments already on the web site. She was kind, calm and maternal, at least in my mind's eye.

It sounds like the brasses are over-represented so far on this site. I played the trombone, and largely for the same reason - he needed trombones, and I had the embouchure for it, he said. I had no preference for an instrument, as long as I didn't have to play the piano. I was not naturally gifted, never learned music theory nor thought to improvise, but I was bright, hard working, and I enjoyed traveling with the band. I started when I was eight years old, and I could not reach 7th position, so Mr. Reeves fashioned a leather thong for my right thumb that permitted me the throw the slide out and jerk it back when the music required it.

Most memorable for me was the train trip across country to Milwaukee, mentioned in other entries. I will never forget seeing Mr. Reeves walk away from the train station with Mrs. Reeves' baritone and returning without it - that was what paid for one of our dinners on the way home. I don't know whether the college kids breaking our ranks were Trojans or Bruins, but they were fraternity members ("Fijis" - Phi Gamma Delta, I think) in black face, bare chested and wielding spears. I remember thinking how cold they must be! Mr. Reeves and Jimmy got the crowd at the next corner to part, and he marched us out of the parade. That may have been in one of the many Santa Claus Lane parades that we performed in. He did the same thing for the only Rose Parade that I marched in, but that was because he had set some mileage limit in his head, and when we reached that in this very long parade, he decided that we were finished, so we marched off.

Other memories I have were sitting in our room the California Hotel in San Francisco and at another hotel in San Diego, and converting every possible piece of paper into paper airplanes and sailing them down onto the roofs below. The long trip in the new bus north along Highway one on our camping/concert trip. We kids had dozens of comic books, and Mr. Reeves stopped the bus more than once to demand that we put the books down and look at the amazing scenery. I also remember being scared to death that there might be a piece of lint on my cap or a scuff on my shoe that would produce a demerit during inspection and that we would lose the competition because of me. Come to think of it, I am still the same way.

It was difficult for me to "retire" from the band. At the end of my freshman year at Bellflower High School, I decided that I wanted to enter more of the life of the school which would conflict with the band. My parents made me tell announce that myself. He was cold, annoyed, and acted as if he couldn't care less. That was Mr. Reeves.

I still have my trombone, and I keep telling myself that I will pick it up and try to play again, but only time will tell. Carl Cunningham was a close friend of mine during those years. If anyone has his email address, I would like to try to contact him.

I became a pediatrician and practiced in Eugene, Oregon until my recent retirement. I served in Italy and Greece in the Air Force and volunteered in Bolivia, Mexico and St. Lucia. I really enjoyed sharing the band memories you aroused with my wife. Mr. Reeves undoubtedly was a big part of our lives at a very formative stage.

Best to you.

Allen Johnson

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Email August 8, 2010 From Gerald Russell

Reeves Rangers 1940's

The attached photo shows the band in the parking lot of the Circle Theater where we practiced the marching routines while across the street on Flower St. at the community we held the weekly rehearsals. Elliot Thompson was lead trombonist when I was in the band and I played baritone.. I'm fourth from left on the fourth row.

"I played baritone in the band durng the late 1940's and attribute a large part of my musical success in later life to the excellent training I received under the "Stern Scottsman"."

(Isn't that Mrs. Reeves with a trombone?)

Incidentally, the Community Center I mentioned in the white building in the upper portion of the picture. I remember vividly the "playoff" challenges that took place in that building for first chair. And, yes, that is Gladys playing trombone.. she played several instruments and of course Johnny, their son, played the piccolo and did an oustanding job on some of those Sousa marches. Do you remember his brothers name? I think it was Jimmy? And do you know what ever happened to Johnny?

(Yes, Jimmy played the cornet and Johnny the piccolo. I have no new information regarding them but perhaps this web site will help.)

Unfortunately, I don't have interesting stories to tell about the band that would be of interest to the average reader.. A couple of things do, however, still stand out in my mind as I'm sure they will in yours.. the horses! Always marching behind the horses and avoiding the clumps of fresh manure. One of my favorite events, at which the band performed every year, was the Portugal Festival in Artesia. They had the customary parade (with horses) and then after it was over with, we would all get together and eat delicious pulled beef BBQ sandwiches dipped in a wonderful sauce.. always my favorite time of the year.

Here's another picture of me and a buddy, also in the Rangers, showing off the uniforms to better advantage.

You can find a bit more info about how I used my music later in life at this link:

Music

Gerald (Jerry) Russell

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Hi
My brother Jack just emailed me this web site? I have so many memories I
won't even know where to begin.
I was the last girl. But Mr. Reeves brought on Nancy Gallagher from the girl's
band he had started in the early 1950's, to be a companion for me.
I want to get my thoughts together and look up some pictures and would like to get back to you.

I'm not sure how you "post" on the web. What a great surprise.

Janet McClurg Lanz - January 3, 2012

PS I was in the band from about 1946 to 1955

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September 18, 2013 - from Barbara Hart

Reeves Bellflower Girls Band

(I don't remember everyone's name anymore, but I'm on the far right, second from the bottom, with my baritone horn.)

I ran across your web site while I was trying to find information on Walter Reeves as I was about to write my memories of the Reeves Girl Band for another site. I was always jealous that I wasn't able to be a Ranger. I remember Carl Cunningham well, since i also played the baritone horn. I used to carpool to band practice with Pat Cover and Larry Stark. Must have been junior band, since it was coed. I was nine when I joined -- about 1952. I had to quit when I was in 7th grade because of health issues my mom had, and Mr. Reeves wouldn't let me join again because of his policy that once you leave, you can't return. I lived across the back fence from another trombonist in the band. Sometimes we'd practice in our back yards at the same time.

I vividly remember our trip to San Francisco. Some of the boys from the Rangers were along. It was amazing the Reeves trusted us enough to spread us through three floors of the hotel with no direct adult supervision but the promise of getting to walk through San Francisco all night with an angry Mr. Reeves for anyone whom he got a complaint about. I also remember one of the girls getting locked in the bathroom and a bellboy having to get her out.

I, too, remember that great food at the Portuguese Hall parades and have always wondered how they prepared it so I could duplicate it.

I have two clippings in an old scrapbook I'm going to post with what I write for Bubblews and I will link to your site when I get this written. I'd be happy to share my clipping scans with you. They are different than the ones I see on your site.

Thanks for collecting all these memories. I don't think anyone who has been in a Reeves Band will ever forget it. Leaving it was very sad for me.

Barbara Hart Radisavljevic
barbsbooks@sbcglobal.net
Join me at Bubblews and earn
while you express yourself.
http://bit.ly/XM3TXY

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Mr. and Mrs. Reeves wearing the Lions club uniforms

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Email - May 2019 Hi - my dad just told me about Reeves Rangers today. He played the trombone too. He joined at age 9. Played in the Air Force band and around town but quit when he became an officer. Still Has his trombone...

My dad plans to gather his memories and add a post to the website soon. He was in the band from 1948 or maybe earlier and left when he graduated HS in 1953. He played in a jazz combo with Jim Reeve and was surprised Jim did not become a professional musician since he was very talented. My dad says being in the band gave him a huge leg up when he joined the Air Force since in addition to the general discipline learned from Walter's training he already knew how to march and he could get out of inspections due to his military band schedule. In his first few years in the military he sent all his paychecks to his mom to put in savings and lived on the money he made from gigs!...Best, Stacey Counts

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Email: gbblight@aol.com

Music segment from the Reeves Rangers record: "The Old Church Organ"

My Favorite Web sites

Reeves Rangers Band
John and Jim Reeves
Reeves Newspaper Clippings