It all stated on June 9, 1900 in Tyrone.
That day, Fred Waring was born.
In 1916, Tom Waring, Polley McClintock, Freddie Buck and Fred Waring formed a band called Waring’s Banjo Orchestra and played dances and proms in and around Tyrone. They rode on mile trains, slept in train stations and often lived on crackers and water. Their big break came in 1922 when they started at the opening of Detroit’s Metropolitan Theater. And they changed their name to Waring’s Pennsylvanians.
The Tyrone Area Historical Society have finalized details on a special exhibit titled “I Hear Music – Fred Waring – His Life, Music and Legacy. The special exhibit will run throughout the month of June during the museum’s regular business hours of 1-4 p.m. Sundays and Wednesdays.
“The exhibit (features) mostly photos and reading materials,” said Nancy Smith, historical society president. “We want to make Tyrone residents and out-of-town visitors more aware of Waring’s worldly life.”
Waring had many friends in music and in Hollywood, including Jimmy Durante, Frank Sinatra, Jackie Gleason, Benny Goodman and even Ed Sullivan.
Photos included in the exhibit include Waring’s radio days and other live shows. Also included are photographs from his days as leader of music workshops conducted at Penn State University during the summer months, and other items about his life in Tyrone.
During the worldwide success of Waring’s music, locally, the Waring Canteens were formed. The exhibit also has items and local photos from this successful era as well.
On Waring’s birthday in the year 2000, Penn State featured a 100th anniversary celebration honoring Tyrone’s biggest celebrity with a special called “Fred Waring’s America.” Advertising the event was a giant poster and thanks to Leonard Miller of bald Eagle, the poster will be displayed in a giant wooden holder at the museum.
Penn State University currently has the largest collection of Waring music and archives, including a library of 6,000 arrangements, 10,000 recordings, including every radio and television program the Pennsylvanians presented, 70 scrapbooks covering his entire career, 9,000 photographs and 650 pieces of original cartoon art.
