Harry Reser

Harry F. Reser (January 17, 1896 – September 27, 1965) was an American banjo player and bandleader. Born in Piqua, Ohio, Reser was best known as the leader of The Clicquot Club Eskimos. He was regarded by some as the best banjoist of the 1920s.

Harrison Franklin Reser was born in Piqua, Ohio on Friday, January 17, 1896 to William Scott Reser and Alberta Wright. The couple had another child, Ruth. Reser was a first cousin to Orville & Wilbur Wright, the Wright brothers, inventors of the aeroplane. When he was 2 years of age, his father moved the family to Dayton, Ohio. It was here that his musical talents fast became apparent, and it was also here that it was discovered that the young Reser possessed something called "perfect pitch". His parents realized they had a child prodigy. A special guitar was made for him suited to his extremely small size, and this was his first instrument.

By the age of 8 he was entertaining. Years later he recalled "Of course, being a kid, and playing for various minor concerts and recitals naturally gave me somewhat of a hero feeling, but I was never able to get the attitude of a great many people whom I often heard talking prodigies, juvenile wonders and any number of other equally mysterious things in connection with my playing. It never seemed in the least remarkable or extraordinary that I played at the age of eight."

About this time he began learning piano and also started a systematic study of music which was to form the basis for his natural genius and extensive knowledge of music theory. At the age of nine his parents, now fully realizing his potential and the benefits to be gained, sent him to Luis Hein and Albert Fischer of Dayton, where he continued study of the piano in addition to the violin and cello. He remained with the two until the age of fourteen. Reser attended Steele High School in Dayton, and it was during these years that he decided what his vocation would be. On April 8, 1916 when he was just over twenty, he married Grace Tharp of Dayton in Newport, Ky.

It was during this time that he was seeing the banjo make its presence felt more strongly with dance bands and therefore felt he should learn how to play it as quickly as possible. He practiced diligently until he was able to play the instrument to a high enough standard to supplement his piano playing with it, there by increasing his chances of earning a reasonable living. In the summer of 1920 he played in a Dayton dance band under the leadership of Paul Goss. By this time he was playing the banjo more regularly. He soon relocated to Buffalo, New York to appear at the Hippodrome, playing primarily violin, though continuing to work on his banjo technique as well.

...
Wikipedia