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Show Sixty-one years ago, these ladies were the first 10 members of the popular Panguitch Rhythm Band. Shown are Isabel Ipson, Florence Houston, Dean LeFevre, BeD Cooper, Elinor Bruhn, Eve BeD, Belle Boyter, Lois Seamon Maloney, Rate Owens and Ellis Cooper. Current members will be honored at Pioneer Day program at LDS Stake Center July 24. The band has never missed a Pioneer Day Parade. Panguitch Rhythm Band Has 61 Years Of Entertainment History By Faye Worthen About 1936 a small group of ladies who loved music and loved to sing got together. They regularly sang in the church choir, at special programs, weddings and socials, and had lots of fun. Everyone enjoyed their music One of them found a kazoo, a musical instrument that imparts a buzzing quality to the human voice and usually consists of a small metal or plastic tube with a side hole covered by a thin membrane. It was fun, and immediately, imme-diately, they all wanted one. Who ever heard of just one kazoo with five women? Yes, this started their little band and they added a wash board and a thimble, and a tamborine even a washtub most any thing would do as a source of musical variety. As near as we can determine from the old pictures and first hand from Mary Henrie, the first five members were Isabell Ipson, I Florence Houston, Dean LeFevre, Bell Cooper, and Elinor Bruhn. Since no one wanted to miss out on the fun, others were soon added: Eve Bell, Belle Boyter, Lois Seamon Maloney, Rate Owens, and Ellis Cooper, making a total of 10 in the band. They played for primary dances. They charged 10 cents a ticket and the money went to the hospital fund. They also helped teach the kids to dance. They played for numerous other fund raisers to help raise money for many different projects. Verda Tebbs joined the band in 1946 when the Tebbses moved back home. She played the drums from then on. She wrote our theme song Here Comes The Band. Always fun-loving, one year they made old fashioned bathing suits with long sleeves and long pants and bonnets and called themselves the Bathing Beauty Band. Another year they were invited to come to Salt Lake City to play on the radio. Still another time they played at the Daughters of Utah Pioneers State Convention at the Hotel Utah. In 1957 they played on the Margaret Masters TV Program in Salt Lake City and at the State Municipalities Convention in Salt Lake City. They devised clever programs that delighted their audiences. Members of the band have played at different programs in Parowan, Circleville, Antimony, and on a Cedar City radio station in the past. Going through old pictures, we have found others who have joined the band over the intervening years. Thank goodness for pictures; they sure bring back memories don't they? Remember Dora Clove, Pearl (See Panguitch Rhythm Band Celebrates 61 Years On Page 6A) Rhythm Band Celebrates 61 Years From Front Page Henrie, Mary Henrie, Fay Ella Prince, Lyle Miller, Ann Excell, Leatha Moore, Orene Miller, Ireta Henrie, Gai Wilcock, Thora Proctor, Alta Orton, Norma Crompton, Florence McEwen, Grace Young, Pauline Prince ... I hope I haven't missed anyone, if I have please let me know so their name can be added, Dean Le Fevre, Florence Houston, Mary Henrie and Verda Tebbs we're always thinking up funny things to do to add to the programs, making them interesting inter-esting for all. They also made clever, different costumes for the various programs, over the years. Sadly, band members have participated less in more recent years. We need new members to add more pep and younger faces to the band. I will introduce each current member at the Pioneer Day program at the Panguitch LDS Stake Center on Thursday, July 24 at 11 a.m. and I will ask each one to step forward and take a bow: Winona Sevy, Ilene Julander, Debra McKee, June Owens, Evelyn Roe, Golda Julander, Beth Heywood, Irene Cooper, Norma Talbot, Hope Goulding, Iretta Henrie, Hilda Excell, Maurietta Syrett, Carel Bunker, Caryl Englestead, Cleo Marshall, Gai Wilcock (she came up from Washington to be with us), and three new members, Dorothy Pingry, Kathy Woodard, and Claudia Crump. Oh yes, I'm, Faye Worthen. Our new drummer taking Verda's place is her daughter Angela Sheffer Once, a couple touring the country and writing a book on the traditions of country towns asked us to dress in our pioneer costumes to meet with them and play for them. It was an honor. They published our picture and the story of our Rhythm Band in their book. They sent us a picture that will be displayed Thursday at the Stake Center. The band has never missed playing in the 24th of July Pioneer Day Parade in 61 years. We'll be proudly participating on Thursday, July 24. We hope you'll be with us there and at the program at the LDS Stake Center that follows. Editor's Note: The Panguitch Rhythm Band has kept alive a unique tradition worthy of recognition reco-gnition and preservation. Its members mem-bers deserve praise for having retained for today's electronic age the special time when folks made their own music and musical instruments and created their own entertainment. |