Fred Waring and The Pennsylvanians

It would probably be stretching the definition considerably to put Fred Waring in the jazz category, though he was very popular utilizing some concepts from the improvisational school. Waring led a dance-based banjo band at 18; he attended Penn State, then formed Fred Waring's Collegians, who ultimately became the Pennsylvanians, although they were based in Detroit. They recorded extensively in the '20s and enjoyed some success. The 1929 film Syncopation and 1930 stage show The New Yorkers helped Waring's band become popular sensations. They got steadily more commercial and li...