urn:taro:houpub.00138 Milton Larkin Collection MSS.0252 Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library
500 McKinney St. Julia Ideson Building, 2nd Floor Houston, TX, 77002 832-393-1662
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2013-01-14T10:33-0600 Finding aid written in English. Descriptive Summary Larkin, Milt, 1910-1996 Milton Larkin Collection1930-1990MSS.0252 4.5 Linear feet, 2 document boxes, 3 photo negative boxes, 1 cassette tape Materials are in English. Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library Biographical Note

Milton Larkin (1910-1996) was born in Navasota, Texas. After his father's death, his mother brought him to Houston when he was six years old. Larkin started playing the trumpet when he was 16, and was mostly self-taught. He organized his own band in 1936, but he made his name in the early 1940s at Chicago's Rhumboogie Club. Members included Eddie Cleanhead Vinson, Illinois Jacquet, Wild Bill Davis, and Arnett Cobb. Larkin took up the trombone while in the service during World War II. Following the war, he had his own group at the Celebrity Club in New York City, but he never regained the status he had prior to World War II.

 Scope and Contents

The collection contains an oral history interview and photographs.

 Arrangement Access Restrictions

None.

 Use Restrictions

Permission to publish or reproduce materials from the Milton Larkin Collection must be obtained from the Houston Metropolitan Research Center or the appropriate copyright holder.

 Digitized Materials

A portion of this collection has been digitized and is available through the Houston Area Digital Archives. Please view the digitized material at: http://digital.houstonlibrary.org/cdm/search/searchterm/MSS0252/order/nosort

An oral history related to this collection is available at: http://digital.houstonlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/Interviews/id/12/rec/5 Other digitized material related to this collection is available at: http://digital.houstonlibrary.org/cdm/search/searchterm/Milton%20Larkin/order/nosort

 Related Archival Materials note

MSS 345 Jimmy Ford Collection

MSS 322 Arnett Cobb Collection

MSS 442 Herb Brochstein Collection

MSS 390 Campbell Tolbert Collection

MSS 403 Illinois Jacquet Collection

MSS 337 Jewel Brown Collection

MSS 349 I.H. Smalley Collection

MSS 336 Florence "Bu" Pleasant Collection

MSS 397 Art Foxall Collection

MSS 388 Ed Gerlach Collection

MSS 441 Nathaniel "Bill" Barnes Collection

MSS 375 David "Fathead" Newman Collection

 Preferred Citation

Milton Larkin Collection. Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library.

 Acquisition Information

Donated by: Milton Larkin, September 11, 1984.

 Processing Information

Processed by: Charles Stephenson and Tammy Jordan, April 20, 2007.

 General note

Materials in the Milton Larkin Collection are arranged by item type or format. All developed photographs are described at the item level. The oral history tape is housed with the Oral History Collection OH 447, separate from MSS 252-the Milton Larkin Collection.

 Index Terms Larkin, Milt, 1910-1996 Milton Larkin Orchestra (Musical group) African Americans--Texas Jazz musicians--Texas--Houston Musicians--Texas--Houston Trumpet players Oral History Interview 1 1 Personal interview transcript, January 5, 1988 Photographs MSS252.001 Milton Larkin MSS252.002 Milton Larkin MSS252.003 Milton Larkin MSS252.004 Milton Larkin MSS252.005 Earl Hines MSS252.006 Milton Larkin playing trumpet during a performance MSS252.007 Baby Briscoe who fronted a girls’ band MSS252.008 Earl Hines MSS252.009 Orlando Robinson, singer MSS252.010 Tiny Bradshaw, drummer and bandleader MSS252.011 Cab Calloway MSS252.012 Rex Stewart, trumpeter; Publicity photo for Jazz at the Philharmonic MSS252.013 Rex Stewart playing trumpet; publicity photo for Jazz at the Philharmonic MSS252.014 T-Bone Walker, singer-guitarist; sang with Milton Larkin and His Orchestra MSS252.015 Sherman “Scatman” Crothers MSS252.016 Coleman Hawkins, tenor saxophonist and bandleader MSS252.017 Buck Clayton, bass player MSS252.018 Jimmie Lunceford, bandleader MSS252.019 Wild Bill Davis, pianist MSS252.020 Trummy Young, trombonist; publicity photo for Jazz at the Philharmonic played in Louis Armstrong’s band MSS252.021 Avery Parrish, pianist with Erskine Hawkins’ Orchestra; famous for After Hour MSS252.022 Howard Callender, trumpeter in Lil Green’s Orchestra; husband of Lil Green MSS252.023 Milton Tippy Larkin, trumpeter; son of Milton Larkin MSS252.024 B. B. King, guitarist and singer; his first road trip was with Milton Larkin’s Orchestra through Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama MSS252.025 Buddy Tate, saxophonist MSS252.026 Ike Harris, dancer at Abe and Pappy’s Nightclub, Houston, Texas MSS252.027 Kid Lipps Hackette, drummer and dancer featured with Eddie Durham’s Band MSS252.028 Male dancer at Abe and Pappy’s Nightclub, Houston, Texas MSS252.029 Clarence Foster, comedian; Nickname: Pops MSS252.030 Mary Lou Williams, singer, composer and arranger, appeared with Andy Kirk and His Clouds of Joy; composed Moten Swing MSS252.031 Beverly White, singer, featured with Claude Hopkins and His Orchestra MSS252.032 Female singer at Abe and Pappy’s Nightclub, Houston, Texas MSS252.033 Ruth Ellington, sister of Duke Ellington MSS252.034 Singer at Abe and Pappy’s Nightclub, Houston, Texas MSS252.035 Mabel Franklin, singer with Milton Larkin’s Band MSS252.036 missing MSS252.037 Helen Humes, singer; publicity photo for Jazz at the Philharmonic MSS252.038 Velma Middleton, vocalist with Louis Armstrong; died in Africa MSS252.039 Peggy Thomas, singer MSS252.040 I. H. Smalley, Houston bandleader MSS252.041 Arthur Prysoc, singer MSS252.042 Arthur Prysoc, singer MSS252.043 Budd Johnson, saxophonist, who played with Cab Calloway and Count Basie; drawing by Don Hester MSS252.044 Illinois Jacquet, saxophonist; drawing by Don Hester MSS252.045 Arnett Cobb, saxophonist; drawing by Don Hester MSS252.046 Milton Larkin, singer; unsigned drawing, but similar to drawings by Don Hester MSS252.047 Earl Fatha Hines; Caricature by Wachstetter MSS252.048 Milton Larkin and unidentified man, a graduate of Prairie View A & M and manager of Apollo Theater MSS252.049 Click and Click, dancers at Abe and Pappy’s Nightclub, Houston, Texas MSS252.050 Unidentified man and Roy Branca of The Three Peppers MSS252.051 Sonny and Dotty who performed at Abe and Pappy’s Nightclub in Houston and at The Rhumboogie in Chicago MSS252.052 Nicholson Brothers, Harold and __?_; dancers MSS252.053 Joe Louis, prizefighter; Eddie Arcaro, jockey and Bojangles Robinson MSS252.054 Johnny Moore Trio; guitarist Moore played in Nat King Cole’s Trio MSS252.055 Cedric Haywood, pianist; Allan _?_ who played with Earl Hines, 1941, and “Hog” _?_ MSS252.056 Dance team at Abe and Pappy’s Nightclub, Houston, Texas; no identification MSS252.057 Milton Larkin, bandleader and singer, during a performance MSS252.058 Milton Larkin and Ernest Hart in Los Angeles MSS252.059 Dennis Brooks; Cathy _?_ and Milton Larkin MSS252.060 Don Cannon, Secretary of the Musicians’ Union Local Cedric Haywood, pianist; and Ed Gerlach, Houston bandleader and Milton Larkin MSS252.061 Bass player unidentified; George Thompson, drums; Tippy Larkin, trumpet; Fletcher Smith, piano; and Milton Larkin, trumpet and trombone MSS252.062 Arnett Cobb and unidentified man at the Savoy Ballroom, New York City MSS252.063 Tippy Larkin, trumpet, and Monty Owens, singer-guitarist, at a street concert in New York City MSS252.064 Monty Owens, guitarist and unidentified guitarist and Willie Bridge, saxophonist, during a street concert in New York City MSS252.065 Mrs. Milton Larkin and Willie Mabon, singer, who recorded "I’m Mad" and a song later used in a commercial MSS252.066 Milton Larkin, Warren Daniel and unidentified guitarist MSS252.067 Milton Larkin and Peg-Leg Bates, owner of a country club in upper New York State and who danced at the Cotton Club MSS252.068 Jitterbug dancers at Abe and Pappy’s Nightclub, Houston, Texas MSS252.069 Dancers at Abe and Pappy’s Nightclub, Houston, Texas MSS252.070 Dancers at Abe and Pappy’s Nightclub, Houston, Texas MSS252.071 Dancers at Abe and Pappy’s Nightclub, Houston, Texas MSS252.072 Trombone section; International Sweethearts of Rhythm MSS252.073 International Sweethearts of Rhythm, trumpet section, featuring Evelyn McGhee MSS252.074 Dixie Rhythm Girls MSS252.075 Louis Jordan dancing with girls; L. F. Simon, tenor saxophone; Wild Bill Davis, piano MSS252.076 Milton Larkin singing with his Orchestra at the Rhumboogie Club, Chicago, Illinois MSS252.077 Don Albert Band at the Tick Tock Tavern MSS252.078 Saxophone section; Andy Kirk and His Clouds of Joy MSS252.079 Billy Bowen Quintet MSS252.080 Milton Larkin Band (l-r): Monty Johnson, trumpet; Milton Larkin, trombone; Frank Scott, baritone saxophone; Charlie Ferguson; Duke _?_, piano; Ted Sturgis, bass; Vess Paine, drums; at the Celebrity Club MSS252.081 Milton Larkin, Mrs. Milton Larkin, Daisy Richards and unidentified person MSS252.082 Unidentified singer; Milton Larkin, playing trumpet MSS252.083 Milton Larkin Band: Skinny Brown, saxophone; Milton Larkin, trombone MSS252.084 Milton Larkin Band: Milton Larkin; Warren Daniels; Sid Melton; and Stella _?_ MSS252.085 Milton Larkin, unidentified, and Warren Daniel MSS252.086 Milton Larkin Band: Milton Larkin; Warren Daniel; Stella _?_; Tippy Larkin at far right MSS252.087 Brass Section, Jimmy Lunceford Band MSS252.088 Pete Mays, Eric Lewis, Arnett Cobb; Eddie Cleanhead Vinson, a trumpeter from Duke Ellington’s band and Milton Larkin MSS252.089 Milton Larkin Band performing on a New York street: Milton Larkin; Tippy Larkin; unidentified saxophonist; Willie Bridges, who went into church music in 1988; and Sonny _?_ MSS252.090 Charles Gordon; Milton Larkin; Arnett Cobb; _?_ Hart; and George Lane MSS252.091 Harold Singer; Dennis Brooks; Dick Boone; Mrs. Milton Larkin; Milton Larkin; and Mrs. Dennis Brooks MSS252.092 Milton Larkin; unidentified; the bandleader at Wiley College; Wild Bill Davis and a promoter MSS252.093 Copacetics Cookie Youngblood and Buster Brown with Milton Larkin. Copacetics were a dance team managed by Milton Larkin for two decades. Copacetics was Larkin’s recording label MSS252.094 Standing: Peg-Leg Bates and spectator; Arthur Prysock seated on the right MSS252.095 Milton Larkin; Conrad Johnson and Mrs. Milton Larkin MSS252.096 Milton Larkin Orchestra: postcard MSS252.097 Erskine Hawkins and His Orchestra MSS252.098 Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra MSS252.099 Floyd Ray and His Orchestra; Milton Larkin’s Orchestra replaced this orchestra on the West Coast in 1940 when Ray dismissed his entire group; Larkin retained the girls to sing with his orchestra MSS252.100 Sunset Royal Entertainers Band from Florida MSS252.101 Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra MSS252.102 Eddie Cleanhead Vinson and His Orchestra MSS252.103 Milton Larkin Orchestra at the Aragon Ballroom, Houston, Texas: (l-r): H. F. Sloan; L. F. Simon; Lonnie Moore; Frank Dimangio; Willie Lott Tompkins; Lawrence Cato; George Lane; Clifford Mitchell; Charles Gordon; Arnett Cobb; Lester Patterson; Eddie Vinson and Milton Larkin MSS252.104 Unknown band MSS252.105 The 375th Army Service Forces Band of Camp Shanks, New York: Cy Oliver; Cholly Adkinson; Buck Clayton; Dan Minor; Bobby _?_ Barry Lanier; Milton Larkin; __?_ Blair; Frank Scott; Jack __?_; Freddy Williams; Skinny Brown; “Bunny” __?_ and Sgt. “Sarge” __?_ MSS252.106 Ruth Brown, sister of Duke Ellington. Carl Mack Thompson, singer, at extreme right. Others unidentified MSS252.107 Father (Earl) Hines and The Swinging Rays of Rhythm from Piney Woods School, Piney Woods, Mississippi MSS252.108 Lil Green’s Orchestra: (l-r):Wild Bill Davis, kneeling; Milton Larkin, third from left; Big Bill Boozer also in picture. Others not identified MSS252.109 Sylvia and Her Rhythmettes, a dance act; individual photographs MSS252.110 Rhumboogie Girls MSS252.111 Kneeling: unidentified Houston singing group; (standing, l-r): May June; Jean Wurl; DeeDee _?_; Honey Cole, (Rear Center); Elsie Blow (front-center); Tonda Lear (center-right); __?_who married Sonny Stritch; one of the Brown Twins; Charlie Schaefer’s wife MSS252.112 Milton Larkin and Morris Merritt, kneeling. Standing, center: Queen of Jack Yates High School; at The Old Harlem Grill, Houston, Texas MSS252.113 Girls in front of Larkin Orchestra, known at the Copacetics: (l-r): Mrs. Charlie Schaefer; one of the Brown Twins; Elsie Blow, and Bea _?_; Performance at Broadway and 52nd Street, New York City MSS252.114 Buddy Tate, soloist, with Milton Larkin Orchestra; Jerome Doss, guitar; Hilton Jefferson, alto saxophone; Bobby Brown, alto saxophone; _?_, baritone saxophone; Back row: Joe Marshall, drums; Johnny Grimes and Tippy Larkin, trumpet. Photograph taken after intermission that opportunity for the band to change costumes completely MSS252.115 Arthur Prysock; Johnny Grimes to right of Prysock MSS252.116 Big Momma Thornton and the Copacetics, New York City MSS252.117 George Schmidt, singer MSS252.118 Milton Larkin Band playing at an outdoor concert in a Brooklyn schoolyard MSS252.119 Lester Williams, second from right, at Prince’s B-B-Q, Los Angeles. Others unidentified MSS252.120 Milton Larkin in military uniform at The Harlem Grill, Houston, Texas; _?_ Goldberg wearing Shriner’s cap MSS252.121 Milton Larkin, center; no other identification MSS252.122 Sam Taylor; Mrs. Milton Larkin; Mrs. Arnett Cobb; Mrs. Sam Taylor; Arnett Cobb’s Mother; Arnett Cobb MSS252.123 The 375th Army Service Forces Band, Camp Shanks, NY; identifications at bottom of photograph MSS252.124 Audience at a street dance in New York City; music provided by Milton Larkin Band MSS252.125 Milton and Tippy Larkin MSS252.126 Tippy Larkin at a New York City street concert; audience in background MSS252.127 Saxophonist, street concert, New York City MSS252.128 Phil Young, drummer, in Milton Larkin Band at a street concert, New York City MSS252.129 Young girl spectator during street concert in New York City MSS252.130 Milton Larkin during a street concert, New York City; audience in background MSS252.131 Tippy Larkin, Milton Larkin, and Phil Young, drummer, at street concert, New York City; pianist not identified MSS252.132 Milton Larkin, trombone, and Tippy Larkin trumpet MSS252.133 Phil Young, drummer, during a street concert by Milton Larkin Band MSS252.134 Photographic collage: Pearl Bailey; Co-Petites; Billboard; dancers MSS252.135 Photographic collage: (clockwise from upper right:) Not identified; Cook and Brown, a comedy team; T-Bone Walker; Sam The Man Taylor; T-Bone Walker; Milton Larkin; Derby Wilson; European acrobatic dancers. Center: Milton Larkin MSS252.136 Crowd at Negro Actors’ Guild Dance where music was provided by Milton Larkin Orchestra MSS252.137 Positive film strip: 1. Milton Larkin; 2. Milton Larkin; 3. Kathy Whitmire; 4. Milton Larkin Band; 5. Larkin Band; 6-13. Crowning of Milton Larkin as King ____; 14. Audience; 15-17. Milton Larkin; 18-20. Audience; in 1986 in Sam Houston Park, Houston, Texas MSS252.138 Dancer, unidentified MSS252.139 Milton Larkin after an automobile accident, New York City; in souvenir folder MSS252.140 Milton Larkin Orchestra, Houston, Texas, c.1937: Lonnie Moore; Eddie Vinson; Arnett Cobb; George Lane; Clifford Mitchell; Lawrence Cato; Lester Patterson; Cedric Haywood; Willie Lott Thompkins; T-Bone Walker; Milton Larkin; Charles Gordon; H. S. Sloan; Frank Dominguez MSS252.141 El Dorado Ballroom; Houston, Texas MSS252.142 Postcard photograph: Milton Larkin and His Famous Orchestra MSS252.143 Junior Parker MSS252.144 375th Army Band, original copy; rolled photo behind numbered photographs MSS252.145 The Late Johnny Ace MSS252.146 Milton Larkin and Louis J. Marchiafava, during personal interview MSS252.147 Milton Larkin MSS252.148 Clarence Gatemouth Brown MSS252.149 Sammy Davis, Jr. and Milton Larkin’s Orchestra MSS252.150 Milton Larkin and Louis J. Marchiafava during a personal interview MSS252.151 Milton Larkin and His Orchestra MSS252.152 Milton Larkin and His Famous Orchestra; postcard MSS252.153 missing MSS252.154 Milton Larkin; _;___;_________;