Henry Fillmore (b:3.12.1881 – d:7.12.1956) was an American musician, composer, publisher, and bandleader best known for his many marches and screamers.

He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, as the eldest of five children. In his youth he mastered piano, guitar, violin, flute, and slide trombone. He kept his trombone activities a secret at first, as his religious father —a composer of gospel songs, believed it an uncouth and sinful instrument.

Henry's mother secretly bought a used trombone for him. Henry entered the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in 1901.

After graduating he travelled the United States as a circus bandmaster with his wife, an exotic vaudeville dancer named Mabel May Jones. They were married in St. Louis.

He gained fame as the ‘Father of the Trombone Smear’, writing a series of 15 novelty tunes featuring trombone smears called ‘The Trombone Family’. A number of these have a strong ragtime influence. The tunes have subtitles printed on the parts, some of which reflect social and racial realities of the time. Many were advertised specifically to denigrate black.

Fillmore wrote over 250 pieces and arranged orchestrations for hundreds more. We are featuring one of his trombone family solos on this week’s show.