Meyer Davis was born in Elliott City, Md. in 1893. He started his first band while in high school after being rejected by the school orchestra. His band played for Woodrow Wilson and for every President since then until Gerald Ford. His orchestra played at the inaugural balls of Coolidge, Hoover, Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, and Kennedy. The Davis Orchestra also played for weddings, debutante balls, including that for Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, and on luxury liners. At the height of his career, Davis owned 80 orchestras or bands with over 1,000 musicians. The band also played for King George V of England, George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and at the 1939 World's Fair. Benny Goodman, Jimmy Dorsey and Tommy Dorsey played in the Davis Orchestra for a while. All of the photos and materials are contained in the collection. Meyer Davis died in 1976. Obituaries are in Box 2472. His son, Gary, became a World Citizen. Emery Davis took over the orchestra. Meyer, Jr. was killed in action in World War II, and Ginia, his daughter, now lives in Maine. His wife, Hilda, was a musician and composer in her own right and her material is in the collection.
From the description of Society orchestra and family papers 1880's-[19--]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 53863184
