Fred Jewell

Frederick Alton Jewell (Worthington, Indiana May 28, 1875 - Worthington, Indiana, February 11, 1936), was a prolific musical composer who wrote over 100 marches and screamers, including:

  • "Battle Royal" (1909)
  • "Floto's Triumph" (1906)
  • "Quality Plus" (1913)
  • "The Outlook" (1913)
  • "E Pluribus Unum" (1917)
  • "Supreme Triumph" (1920)
  • "The Screamer" (1921)
  • "The Old Circus Band" (1923)

At the age of 16, Jewell ran away from home and joined the Gentry Bros. Dog & Pony Show as a euphonium player. He also played the calliope.

After making excellent impressions with successful circus officials, Jewell rose through the ranks. He eventually landed himself as the leader of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus band (like Karl King, another successful American composer of his time). He also played in or directed the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus and the Sells-Floto Circus.

Jewell retired from circuses in 1918. He traveled to Iowa and took leadership of the Iowa Brigade Band. From there he began his own publishing company and moved back to his hometown, Worthington, and served as high school band director, as well as a steady composer of band music. He directed other local bands in Florida and Indiana also.

Frederick Jewell died in 1936 at the age of 61 in Worthington.

Birth and Death Data: Born 1875 (Worthington), Died February 11, 1936

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1914 - 1930

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-14602 10-in. 3/21/1914 In the lead march United States Marine Band Band composer  
Victor BVE-62433 10-in. 5/25/1930 Gentry's triumphal march Merle Evans ; Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Band Band composer  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Jewell, Fred," accessed April 19, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110718.

Jewell, Fred. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110718.

"Jewell, Fred." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 19 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110718

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