This from the Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary (thanks for the pointer Gary who sez):
I always love reading about the history of songs we’ve played.
Thinking of “His Honor” I came across this brief bio of Henry Fillmore.
I always knew trombones were evil…
"James Henry Fillmore Jr. was eldest of 5 children and his father was a partner in the Fillmore Religious music publishing house. Fillmore was said to have had an outstanding singing voice and was often rewarded by his father with fifty-cents to sing in the church choir. He played a little piano and was a natural with the flute, violin, and guitar. It was the slide trombone that most fascinated Fillmore. His father considered the trombone too evil for any righteous person to play, in fact, the instrument was often associated with street corner musicians whom were known to drink alcohol.
But Fillmore’s mother believed that practicing trombone might help keep Henry out of mischief, and she secretly saved enough money to buy a second-hand instrument for her son. He was educated in Cincinnati public schools and graduated from a junior college in 1901 with a "Bachelor of Arts" degree. His b composing began when he was 18. His first known publication is the march Higham, named after a line of brass instruments. He also attended the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music for a short time studying trombone with Charles Kohlman and composition with John Broekhoven.
He worked in his father’s publishing business for a while, but left in 1905. They had an argument concerning the "evils” of band music and his displeasure with Henry’s personal life. The disagreement centered on Fillmore’s lovev for Mabel May Jones, an exotic show dancer. He proposed to her by mail and they were subsequently married in St. Louis. They both were hired by the Lemon Brothers Circus, starting his career as musician and bandmaster."
Um… how come exotic show dancers aren’t hanging out with concert band folks these days?
The Bis Key Chronicles 