(May 30th 1901 - June 11th 1956)

Orie Frank Trumbauer (aka "Tram") was born in Carbondale, Illinois and grew up in St. Louis, Missouri where ironically his mother was a saxophone orchestra director. Young Frankie played alto, tenor, and clarinet on occasion but favored the c-melody sax. His first professional work of consequence was with the bands of Edgar Benson and Ray Miller followed by work with the famous "Mound City Blue Blowers". Trumbauer joined the "Jean Goldkette Orchestra" for which he recruited Bix Beiderbecke and became their musical director. Inevitably forming his own group Frankie Trumbauer would become one of the most influential jazz saxophonists of the 1920's.