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Kenneth J. Alford

Frederick Joseph Ricketts (21 February 1881 – 15 May 1945) was an English composer of marches for band. Under the pen name Kenneth J. Alford, he composed marches which are considered to be great examples of the art. He was a bandmaster in the British Army, and Royal Marines director of music. Conductor Vivian Dunn called him "The British March King". Alford's frequent use of the saxophone contributed to its permanent inclusion in military bands. His best known work is the "Colonel Bogey March".

Birth and Death Data: Born London (capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom), Died May 15, 1945 (Reigate (town in Reigate and Banstead, Surrey, England) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1918 - 1939

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, conductor

Notes: Original name: Frederick Joseph Ricketts.

= 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-22204 10-in. 8/9/1918 Colonel Bogey march First Regiment N. S. Marine Band Band composer  
Columbia 78848 10-in. 12/9/1919 Colonel Bogey Columbia Band Band composer  
Columbia 75056 12-in. approximately 1922 A musical switch, part 1 Albert W. Ketelbey ; Silver Stars Band [National Military Band] Band composer  
Columbia 75057 12-in. approximately 1922 A musical switch, part 2 Albert W. Ketelbey ; Silver Stars Band [National Military Band] Band composer  
Columbia 76049 12-in. approximately 1918 On the quarter deck march Band of the Grenadier Guards [U.K] Band composer  
Columbia CO19703 10-in. approximately 1936 Colonel Bogey Band of the Grenadier Guards [U.K] ; George Miller Band composer  
OKeh S-7581 10-in. September 1920 Colonel Bogey march Conway's Band Band composer  
Brunswick E29937 10-in. May 1929 Colonel Bogey Walter B. Rogers Band Band composer  
Edison 9981 10-in. 1/30/1925 Colonel Bogey march Imperial Marimba Band Band composer  
Gramophone 0B7816 10-in. 7/22/1934 Colonel Bogey Arthur W. Delamont ; Vancouver Kitsilano Boys' Band Band composer  
Gramophone 0EA7996 10-in. 6/21/1939 The two dons Kenneth J. Alford ; Band of HM Royal Marines [Plymouth, England] ; L. Wegus ; B. Wright Band, with 2 xylophones conductor, composer  
Gramophone 0EA7997 10-in. 6/21/1939 The smithy Kenneth J. Alford ; Band of HM Royal Marines [Plymouth, England] Band conductor, composer  
Columbia (U.K.) WAX3569 12-in. between March and May 1928 The two imps W. W. Bennett ; Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra ; W. Bryne ; Dan Godfrey Xylophone duet, with orchestra composer  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Alford, Kenneth J.," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104186.

Alford, Kenneth J.. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104186.

"Alford, Kenneth J.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104186

External Sources

Wikipedia: Kenneth J. Alford

Discogs: Kenneth J. Alford

Allmusic: Kenneth J. Alford

Grove: Kenneth J. Alford

IMSLP: Kenneth J. Alford

RISM: Kenneth J. Alford

IMDb: Kenneth J. Alford

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Alford, Kenneth J. - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n83051531

Wikidata: Kenneth J. Alford - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1290316

VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/10037796

MusicBrainz: Kenneth J. Alford - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/234c7c19-bca1-4b5b-9db4-4e4772fa367f

Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/111603 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/111603

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