Hugh McNutt Dies; Musicians Lose a Colorful Colleague

Hugh McNutt, died in his sleep Monday morning at his home in Santa Monica, Cal. The 83-year-old former St. Joseph bandmaster apparently had recovered from recent surgery. His death was unexpected. He was driving his car again and just a few days ago had attended a Shrine festivity. Mr. McNutt resided with his niece and nephew, Mr. and Mrs. Don Malott. He left St. Joseph about 1936 and after a year or so in Kansas City went to the West Coast, and made his permanent home in Santa Monica. Services will be tomorrow at 10:30 at the Gates-Kinzsley-Gates mortuary in Santa Monica and cremation will follow. The ashes will be brought to St. Joseph later for burial in Mount Mora Cemetery.

Played for Exposition

Born in Iowa and reared at Troy, Kan., Mr. McNutt came to St. Joseph for clarinet lessons as a boy. Hist first job was with Willis Maupins band and Maupin took him to St. Louis for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. The band camped for 10 days with the national guard inside the fair grounds. The young clarinet player became a member of Local 50, American Federation of Musicians, in 1904, later served as its president for a while and in the year 1952 was voted a life member of the local. For many years he played with a four or five-piece combination during the dinner hour at Hotel Robidoux. He played in and conducted bands for Chautauqua all over this region and for Krug Park and Lake Contrary appearances and many other functions. Directed Shrine Band In 1922 Mr. McNutt and Charles Welty organized what is remembered as the first modern orchestra, using saxophones and banjos. It played at the Electric and Tootle Theaters. Later the band was expanded and the McNutt-Welty organization booked jobs for bands over a wide area. Also in the early 1920s Mr. McNutt became the director of Moila Temple Shrine Band and continued to direct it until he left St. Joseph. He played in the East for a while with Arthur Pryors Band and made some recordings for Victor with it. At that time performers recorded by playing into a big wooden horn. McNutt & Welty brought Arthur Pryors Band to St. Joseph to perform in connection with an occasion at Lake Contrary. In the 1930s Mr. McNutt organized a symphony orchestra and gave concerts. He was both conductor and promoter, being in the musicians accounts the one who pounded the pavements for it.

California Connections

Although he did well as a musician on the West Coast, his associates always believed that had he gone there sooner he would have been one of the great figures of Hollywood music. He played for the studios and he became assistant conductor of Al Malakiah Shrine Band of Los Angeles and later conductor. He conducted the Commandery Band and kept both jobs for many years. A few years ago he retired from the Shrine conductor ship, but continued to play in the band and continued to conduct the Commandery Band to the last. Mr. McNutt served for years as a member of the trial board of Local 47 of Los Angeles, American Federation of Musicians. More recently he was a member of the board of examiners and served on the board until his death. He was at home with everybody and in any situation. The Los Angeles freeways were no problem to him. He was driving on them until the end.

Memory for Names Only last fall Mr. McNutt was in St. Joseph for a reunion with friends and was entertained at a luncheon at American Legion Post No. 11. Before that he had returned from time to time in recent years and the occasion always sparked gatherings of the musicians. He had an amazing memory for names and would travel all around northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas hunting up people he had known. Sometimes he even hunted up people he hadnt known personally but had known their names. Mac, as he was known to his friends, had the energy of a young man and never lost it. Life was always exciting to him and its experiences always to be remembered for their funny side.