An undated photo post card advertisement for the Schwab’s Dutch Band of Elizabethville, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
Identified, mostly with nicknames, are (left to right):
Abe Schwab; Red Schwab; Dutch Schwab; Bud Schwab; Mucks Schwab; Sparky Schwab.
The message/address side of the post card reads (in Pennsylvania Dutch): “Music Wie Du Es Gleichst.”
“Former members of the 104th Cavalry Band, P. N. G. (Pennsylvania National Guard), over a period of 12 years. Phone 153 R-4 or 137-R-3.”
_______________________________
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.
The photo was probably taken between 1945 and 1950. The only Schwab in the band was Dutch, who played alto (peck horn). The cornet and clarinet players are all Warfels, brothers I believe. Abe (tuba}, whose last name I don’t recall, had a heart attack around 1952, at which time I was asked to replace him. I was a sophomore in Millersburg High School at the time and I stayed with the band for about two years, after which I chose to join the local Blue Notes, a five piece dance band, as pianist. I stayed with that group through my college years. The trombonist was called Red, and he was a milkman in Millersburg, and a really nice guy. I don’t recall his last name. They were all excellent musicians and played everything from memory or improvised. As the card reads (music as you like it) the band played German folk songs, novelty songs, and marches. I had a hard time keeping up with them and was the weakest member of the group. The Warfel in the center (clarinet) had a bread delivery route in Millersburg.
The clarinetist to his left was in WWII and in a prisoner of war camp in Germany. I believe there was an article in National Geographic about the band.
Richard D. Wetzel
The clarinetist on the left in the picture is my great uncle Walter
“Wa” Warfel. I don’t think the trumpet player is a Warfel. The trumpet playing Warfels were my father, Bud Warfel, and his uncles, Wilbur “Wib” and I think Nevin Warfel. Not sure about that. My grandfather could play trumpet and did, Marlin “Mal” Warfel, but his instrument was originally French Horn.
Hello Lynne,
I was pleased and fascinated to read your comments about the personnel in Swab’s Dutch Band. Was your father ‘the Bud Warfel’ who played in the Blue Notes band? I left Swab’s Dutch band in 1952 and then played piano in the Blue Notes, a quintet organized by trombonist and band director at MIlersburg HS, Bob Cooper. I replaced a fine pianist and teacher, Harriet Baker. George Smith (math teacher) played alto sax and Sandy Rutter was the drummer. We played most of the clubs in the Millersburg area and had a steady engagement at a club called the Trade Winds. I continued to play with the band while in college at Indiana University until my senior year, graduating in 1959. I subsequently moved to Pittsburgh, attended Carnegie Mellon, Duquesne University, and completed a PhD at the University of Pittsburgh in 1969. I have been teaching in the School of Music of Ohio University since 1970 and will retire this December (2020). I thoroughly enjoyed Bud Warfel and think fondly of him and the other members of the Blue Notes.