Coon-Sanders Nighthawks Orchestra

Title: El Patio Dancing Hall
Description: Exterior, front view of the El Patio Dancing hall located at Lakeside Park, Denver, Colorado. Sanders captioned photo as found in SC1, Scrapbook A, p. 67: "Where we smashed all records, giving Isham Jones the beating of his young life." According to Edmiston's book, the band played here July 18-31, 1931.
Date: 1931
Object Type: Photograph

Title: John Thiell Kissing Dry Ground
Description: Exterior view of Nighthawks member John Thiell bending down to kiss the dry ground. The Nighthawks were trying to get to Oklahoma City in June of 1923, but encountered flooding conditions. Sanders in his scrapbook captions the photo: "John Thiell devoutly kissing the pavement after battling mud and water for three days. The day preceding we traveled all day and when night came we had covered seven miles."
Date: 1923
Object Type: Photograph

Title: Joe Sanders and Musicians
Description: Joe Sanders standing by the following seated musicians from left to right: Harry Shapiro, Bill McDowell, Harold Thiel, and Dale Stoddard. Photo is dated Oct. 30, 1935. Location is unknown.
Date: 1935-10-30
Object Type: Photograph

Title: Joe Sanders
Description: Professional publicity portrait of Joe Sanders with cigarette in hand.
Object Type: Photograph

Title: Coon-Sanders Nighthawks
Description: Exterior view with members of the Coon-Sanders Nighthawks in view waiting for the train at the railroad station in Iowa City, Iowa. Sanders in his scrapbook describes, "Promenading on the board-walk, Iowa City."
Date: 1924-09
Object Type: Photograph

Title: Bix Beiderbecke Grave
Description: Exterior view, identified on back of picture as "Otis B. Zinkle at Bix's grave, Oakdale Cemetery, Davenport, IA., July 29,'73". Would be band leader Bix Beiderbecke.
Date: 1973
Object Type: Photograph

Title: Sheet Music Cover
Description: View is of a piece of sheet music entitled "Am I Dreaming?", words and music by Joe Davis, Bobby Gregory and Charles Dornberger. It includes a composite of popular band/orchestra leaders of the day. These include starting at top left: Irving Aaronson, Frances Adair, Zinn Arthur, Gus Arnheim, Bailey Axton, Lou Bring, Nat Brandynne. 2nd row: Bunny Berrigan, Ben Bernie, Henry Biagini, Henry Busse, Jerry Blaine, Ed Ballantine, Ted Black. 3rd row: Don Bestor, Charlie Barnett, Bob Crosby, Bernie Cummins, Xavier Cugat, Alice Cornett, Reggie Childs. 4th row: Del Casino, Jolly Coburn, Charles Dornberger, Jewel Davis, Eddie Duchin, Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey. 5th row: Jeanne Davidson, Vaughn De Leath, Emery Deutsch, Al Donahue, Frank Dailey, Dolly Dawn, Shep Fields. 6th row: Donn Ferdi, Jay Freeman, Benny Goodman, Jan Garber, Glen Gray, Al Goodman, George Griffin. 7th row: George Hall, Johnny Hamp, Frances Hunt, Phil Harris, Stanley Jacobsen, Henry King and Harry Kogen.
Object Type: Photograph

Title: Joe Sanders and Johnny Coon
Description: View of Joe Sanders with his camera and Johnny Coon, son of Carleton Coon. Taken at Niagara Falls. Sanders captions photograph in his scrapbook: "Coonie snapped John, while I was preparing to 'snap' back at him, Niagara Falls, N.Y."
Date: 1926
Object Type: Photograph

Title: Joe Richolson in Mattoon, Illinois
Description: Exterior view of band member Joe Richolson waiting for a train in Mattoon, Illinois. According to Edmiston's book, p. 330 - Richolson played trumpet for Coon-Sanders as early as November of 1923. He later moved to California.
Date: 1924
Object Type: Photograph

Title: Coon-Sanders Original Nighthawks
Description: Interior view identified as "Coon-Sanders Original Nighthawks. America's Premier Radio Orchestra." Identified on the back by Fred Edmiston as: Backrow, left to right: Carleton Coon, Joe Sanders, and Pop Estep. Front row, from left: John Thiell, Floyd Estep, Harold Thiell, Bill Haid, Joe Richolson and Rex Downing.
Date: 1926
Object Type: Postcard

Title: Joe Sanders and Pop Estep
Description: View of Joe Sanders on the left standing next to Pop Estep, location not given. Sanders in his scrapbook labels this picture: "D'ya see that?"
Object Type: Photograph

Title: Coon-Sanders Nighthawks Tour Incident
Description: View of tornado debris blocking the Nighthawks' train near Cornland and Buffalo Hart, on way into Springfield, Illinois.
Date: 1927-04-19
Object Type: Photograph

Title: Coon-Sanders Nighthawks
Description: View of some of the members of the Nighthawks waiting for their train at the Dubuque, Iowa, train station while on tour. Sanders in his scrapbook captions the photo: "Dubuque, Iowa. A very busy body of young men - working very hard at doing nothing."
Date: 1925
Object Type: Photograph

Title: Jenkins Music Company Store Display
Description: Appears to be a view of a window display at the Jenkins Music Company Store featuring the Ted Weems Orchestra. Scene includes various instruments and what appears to be photographs of the band members. Sheet music is also visible at the bottom of the photograph.
Object Type: Photograph

Title: The Owens Sisters
Description: Portrait of three women identified as the Owens Sisters who were presented by the Frederick Bros. Music Corporation.
Date: 1934
Object Type: Photograph

Title: Ted Weems and His Orchestra
Description: Interior, stage view of the Ted Weems Orchestra with Weems standing in the left center. Location not given on photo but same photo in P1 collection indicates it is at the Muehlebach Hotel.
Object Type: Photograph

Title: Carleton Coon's Car
Description: Exterior view of car identified as Carleton Coon's Hudson. The man standing by the car may be Joe Sanders. Captioned in Sanders scrapbook as: "Enroute to Chicago in Coonie's Hudson, Apr. 30, '26."
Date: 1926
Object Type: Photograph

Title: Joe Sanders In Cincinnati, Ohio
Description: Exterior view of Joe Sanders standing by his Hertz rental car in Cincinnati, Ohio. According to Edmiston's book, the band spent almost all of May 1927 there. Sanders in his scrapbook captions the photo, "Thanks to Mr. Hertz, I saw Cincinnati by motor."
Date: 1927
Object Type: Photograph

Title: Hitch's Happy Harmonists
Description: Interior view on stage of the musical group Hitch's Happy Harmonists. Believed to be Curt Hitch seated at the piano. Autograph reads: "To "Punk" Burford, The band that helped to make jazz history in Indiana, Curt Hitch, 30 August 1960".
Object Type: Photograph

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