sunny weather and colorful orange trees made it seem like a paradise. For a short while, we were living on South Bronson near the Wilshire Ward. Vern had played a few dance jobs with a group called the Hollywood Whoppie Hounds. He told the band leader that I played the piano and was visiting in California. So I also played a couple of times with this band. Vern had a wonderful sense of humor but at times it got him in trouble. On one occasion, we were playing at a dance and Vern jokingly said something which was misunderstood by the band leader's wife. This incident resulted in Vern not being given a ride home, so he had to walk with his trumpet late at night all the way back to Burbank. This band had dance jobs at Moore's Cafe in Palmdale and the Veterans Hall in San Fernando. One time in playing a late dance job, we all just pulled off the road to rest and I slept on a blanket on the desert. I was associated with several dance bands in Ogden. One group that I played piano for in Ogden was the Vern Harrop Rainbow Orchestra. A picture about 1940 identifies members: Vern as trumpeter, Vern Youngman and Don Olson as saxophonists, and Deb Marriott on banjo/guitar and bass drum, and myself at the piano. We played arrangements from the Combo Orchs books. Some of the dances were at the Woodmen of the World Hall. I was the only female member of these bands and was always treated with consideration and respect. We played throughout Weber, Davis and Box Elder counties, and went up into Idaho to Preston, Soda Springs, Montpelier, Fish Haven, and Lava Hot Springs Resort. In the winter, we played in wards and dance halls; in the summer, we played in resorts. These were Depression years when the pay was often on commission. Another of the orchestras I performed with consisted of Marriott relativesParry and Delbert Marriott. The next group I was associated with was Red Bills from Riverdalenear Ogden. We played mostly in Riverdale, Hooper and made some radio appearances at KLO our local radio station. During this association I met Joe Stimpson, a friend and admirer of my music. He would usually accompany me wherever we played and would take me home after the dance job. It was also usual that one band member would pick up all of the other member for the dance engagements. This work continued and was a great help in supplementing day work and especially college which followed. On occasions I was the pianist for the Shorty Ross Orchestra. A photo taken at the Ogden Golf and Country Club with me at the piano. Shorty on vibraharp, Vern Harrop, trumpeter, Maurice Campbell, bass fiddle, Robert Stringfellow, sax and Herb Hillard, drums. First Employment In October 1933, a cousin, Vivian Gibson, opened a dress shop in Brigham City and needed someone to run the Art Goods department. My father invested in that department and my first daytime job began. I managed this shop until the store went out of business.