Paul Whiteman

Paul Samuel Whiteman was an American bandleader, composer, orchestral director and violinist.

Whiteman was born in Denver, Colorado. He came from a musical family his mother Elfrida was a former opera singer, and his father, Wilburforce James Whiteman was the supervisor of music for the Denver Public Schools, a position he held for fifty years. It was his father who insisted that he learn an instrument, and wanted him to study the violin. But young Paul preferred the viola, and that was what he learned to play. His skill at playing the viola led him to an opportunity to perform in the Denver Symphony Orchestra he was a member from 1907, and in the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra from 1914. From 1917 to 1918, Whiteman conducted a 40piece U.S. Navy band. After the war, he formed the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. Moreover, with his classical violinist and violist start, he led a jazzinfluenced dance band, which became popular locally in San Francisco, California in 1918. In 1920 he moved with his band to New York City where they started recording for the Victor Talking Machine Company

Source: Wikipedia