Eldon Baker - one of the earliest known professional bass soloists!

Tubas, euphoniums, mouthpieces, and anything music-related.
Forum rules
This section is for posts that are directly related to performance, performers, or equipment. Social issues are allowed, as long as they are directly related to those categories. If you see a post that you cannot respond to with respect and courtesy, we ask that you do not respond at all.
Post Reply
User avatar
Dave Detwiler
Posts: 186
Joined: Sat Aug 15, 2020 4:12 pm
Location: Harleysville, PA
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 190 times
Contact:
Contact Dave Detwiler

Eldon Baker - one of the earliest known professional bass soloists!

Post by Dave Detwiler »

Hi all,

An 82-year-old woman reached out to me last night, asking if I could help her learn more about the musical career of her maternal great grandfather, Eldon Baker.

Here's what I've learned so far: http://tubapastor.blogspot.com/2021/10/ ... loist.html

If you happen to know more of his story, please share it here.

Enjoy!
Dave

P. S. Eldon is the dude on the far right, with the bass Antoniophone!

1889 Quintette of Antoniophones (Harper's Weekly).JPG
1889 Quintette of Antoniophones (Harper's Weekly).JPG (110.99 KiB) Viewed 1144 times
These users thanked the author Dave Detwiler for the post (total 10):
York-aholic (Fri Oct 08, 2021 12:42 pm) • rodgeman (Fri Oct 08, 2021 1:12 pm) • hrender (Fri Oct 08, 2021 1:27 pm) • matt g (Fri Oct 08, 2021 2:57 pm) • prairieboy1 (Fri Oct 08, 2021 3:03 pm) and 5 more users


Played an F. E. Olds 4-valve BBb in high school (late '70s)
Led the USC Trojan Marching Band tuba section (early '80s)
Now playing an F. Schmidt (=VMI) 3301 and goofing around
on a 1925 Pan American Sousaphone and an 1899 Conn tuba!
Top
User avatar
matt g
Posts: 2580
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 10:37 am
Location: Southeastern New England
Has thanked: 263 times
Been thanked: 555 times

Re: Eldon Baker - one of the earliest known professional bass soloists!

Post by matt g »

That’s some quality research! Thank you for sharing.
These users thanked the author matt g for the post:
Three Valves (Fri Oct 08, 2021 4:07 pm)
Dillon/Walters CC (sold)
Meinl-Weston 2165 (sold)
Top
User avatar
Yorkboy
Posts: 851
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 9:47 am
Has thanked: 255 times
Been thanked: 131 times

Re: Eldon Baker - one of the earliest known professional bass soloists!

Post by Yorkboy »

Thank you for that elaborate write-up and research. Eldon Baker is a name I’ve been hearing all my life, but with scant details to follow it.


I especially like the fact that he quit Fred Innes’ band because he refused to endorse Conn instruments.
Last edited by Yorkboy on Fri Oct 08, 2021 4:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
These users thanked the author Yorkboy for the post:
York-aholic (Sat Oct 09, 2021 9:10 am)
Top
User avatar
bisontuba
Posts: 938
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:08 am
Location: Bottom of Lake Erie
Has thanked: 148 times
Been thanked: 697 times

Re: Eldon Baker - one of the earliest known professional bass soloists!

Post by bisontuba »

:thumbsup:
Top
User avatar
Dave Detwiler
Posts: 186
Joined: Sat Aug 15, 2020 4:12 pm
Location: Harleysville, PA
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 190 times
Contact:
Contact Dave Detwiler

Re: Eldon Baker - one of the earliest known professional bass soloists!

Post by Dave Detwiler »

Update: I've added more to the blog post, as I keep learning more about Eldon. Enjoy!
These users thanked the author Dave Detwiler for the post:
Estubist (Mon Oct 11, 2021 6:44 am)
Played an F. E. Olds 4-valve BBb in high school (late '70s)
Led the USC Trojan Marching Band tuba section (early '80s)
Now playing an F. Schmidt (=VMI) 3301 and goofing around
on a 1925 Pan American Sousaphone and an 1899 Conn tuba!
Top
humBell
Posts: 2051
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 11:25 am
Has thanked: 218 times
Been thanked: 165 times

Re: Eldon Baker - one of the earliest known professional bass soloists!

Post by humBell »

I don't suppose my local music store carries Antoniophones...
"All art is one." -Hal
Top
Estubist
Posts: 68
Joined: Wed Aug 19, 2020 12:09 am
Location: Hessen, Deutschland (Hessia, Germany)
Has thanked: 127 times
Been thanked: 18 times

Re: Eldon Baker - one of the earliest known professional bass soloists!

Post by Estubist »

Thank you for your interesting posts. I never heard about Antoniophones before.
Schenkelaars rotary Eb, Cerveny BBb, Thomann 4+1 comp. Eb
Top
User avatar
Three Valves
Posts: 4608
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 4:07 pm
Location: The Land of Pleasant Living
Has thanked: 815 times
Been thanked: 501 times

Re: Eldon Baker - one of the earliest known professional bass soloists!

Post by Three Valves »

Estubist wrote: ↑Mon Oct 11, 2021 6:46 am Thank you for your interesting posts. I never heard about Antoniophones before.
...and now we all want one!!
Thought Criminal
Mack Brass Artiste
TU422L with TU25
1964 Conn 36k with CB Arnold Jacobs
Accent (By B&S) 952R with Bach12
The Fourth Estate is the Fifth Column
Top
User avatar
windshieldbug
Posts: 500
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 1:02 pm
Location: 8 vb
Has thanked: 325 times
Been thanked: 90 times

Re: Eldon Baker - one of the earliest known professional bass soloists!

Post by windshieldbug »

humBell wrote: ↑Sun Oct 10, 2021 12:28 pm I don't suppose my local music store carries Antoniophones...

That's because by now they have evolved into the more popular Tonyphones...
If it’s tourist season, why can’t we shoot them?
Top
User avatar
Rick Denney
Resident Genius
Posts: 1032
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:24 am
Has thanked: 57 times
Been thanked: 335 times

Re: Eldon Baker - one of the earliest known professional bass soloists!

Post by Rick Denney »

windshieldbug wrote: ↑Mon Oct 11, 2021 9:07 am
humBell wrote: ↑Sun Oct 10, 2021 12:28 pm I don't suppose my local music store carries Antoniophones...

That's because by now they have evolved into the more popular Tonyphones...
He was the star on that HBO series...The Contrabasses...about the gang of wise guy bass horn players who extorted money from the clarinet section in a protection racket, right?

Rick "just checking my historical facts, here" Denney
These users thanked the author Rick Denney for the post:
windshieldbug (Wed Oct 13, 2021 9:36 pm)
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Music Chatter”