Object Details
- McKinley, Ray
- Ludwig Drum Company
- Description (Brief)
This drum was made by Ludwig Drum Company in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969. It is a Floor Tom Tom, Serial #764518, with a wood ply shell with a Black Diamond Pearl finish, flanged metal hoops, and 16 key tension self-aligning separate tension lugs. There is a metal badge on the shell:
LUDWIG USA
764518This floor tom tom is from a drumset used by American jazz drummer, singer, and bandleader Ray McKinley around 1969-1980. Ray McKinley (1910-1995) made his first recordings with Red Nichols, where he worked with Glenn Miller and Jimmy Dorsey, in 1931. McKinley continued to work mostly with Miller and the Dorsey Brothers (Jimmy and Tommy) through 1939. He then was a member of Will Bradley’s band through 1942. After enlisting in the Army in 1942, McKinley joined Glenn Miller’s American Band of The Allied Expeditionary Forces (AEF). After Miller’s disappearance in 1944, McKinley co-led the band with Jerry Gray.
After the war, McKinley formed his own band and worked as a freelance musician. In 1956 he was commissioned by the widow of Glenn Miller to organize a new band under Miller’s name using the original library and style. This band made a successful tour of Iron Curtain countries in 1957 and continued to tour the United States until 1966. McKinley played drums while Buddy DeFranco fronted the band from 1966-1974. McKinley continued to perform through the 1980s.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Credit Line
- Gift of Gretchen H. McKinley and Jawn McKinley Neville
- 1969
- ID Number
- 1998.0075.04
- accession number
- 1998.0075
- catalog number
- 1998.0075.04
- serial number
- 764518
- Object Name
- drum
- Physical Description
- wood (overall material)
- metal (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 43 cm x 44 cm; 16 15/16 in x 17 5/16 in
- overall: 16 15/16 in x 17 1/8 in; 43.02125 cm x 43.4975 cm
- place made
- United States: Illinois, Chicago
- See more items in
- Culture and the Arts: Musical Instruments
- Music & Musical Instruments
- Percussion
- National Museum of American History
- Record ID
- nmah_608253
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a4-4623-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
