Walter B. Rogers

From Wind Repertory Project
Walter B. Rogers

Biography

Walter Bowman Rogers (14 October 1865, Delphi, Ind. – 24 December 1939, Brooklyn, N.Y.) was an American cornetist, conductor and composer.

Rogers's father was a fine musician and tutored him on the violin and then the cornet. After receiving additional music training in Delphi with Captain John Lathorpe, he enrolled at the Cincinnati Conservatory at age 17. He began playing cornet solos with the Indianapolis Municipal Band in 1883 and also played with the orchestra of English's Opera House in Indianapolis. He was engaged to play solos with Cappa's 7th Regiment Band of New York at age 20.

Just before the turn of the century, he began a series of engagements with Sousa's band, sharing honors as cornet soloist with Herbert L. Clarke. His brilliant technique is evident in the few solos he recorded on 78 rpm records between 1900 and 1906. Some of these were recorded with Victor Talking Machine Company studio bands performing under the name "Sousa's Band, " with Arthur Pryor or Herbert L. Clarke conducting. Brass scholars place him in a class with Clarke, and Clarke himself heaped high praises upon Rogers.

In 1904, he decided to give up the traveling life. He accepted the position of music director of the Victor company in Camden, New Jersey, where he was in charge of all recording sessions. He left Victor in 1916 and subsequently held positions with several other companies. The band he conducted on the Brunswick and Paramount labels, called Walter Rogers and His Band, was an exceptionally fine organization.

He eventually moved to Brooklyn, New York, where he played in theaters and taught until about 1932.


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