Gracie Cole
Gracie Cole | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 September 1924 Rowlands Gill, County Durham |
| Died | 28 December 2006 (aged 82) Westcott, Surrey |
| Instrument(s) | Trumpet, cornet |
Grace Elizabeth Agnes Annie Cole (8 September 1924 – 28 December 2006) was a British trumpeter and bandleader. She was lead soloist in Ivy Benson's all-girls band during the 1940s, going on to form her own all-female band in the 1950s.
Early life
Gracie Cole was born on 8 September 1924 in
Career
From 1940, Cole appeared as a guest soloist in two concerts with the Besses o' th' Barn brass band, and played with various other bands including the Grimethorpe Colliery Band.[1][5] In 1942 she became the first woman to compete for the Alexander Owen memorial scholarship,[5] and won by an unprecedented 21-point margin.[1]
Later in 1942 Cole switched to being a
In 1951 she married Bill Geldard, a
From the 1960s Cole concentrated on bringing up her two daughters and played on a freelance basis. She was active in encouraging local brass bands, and was made a freeman of the City of London in 1990.[1]
Later life
Cole developed Alzheimer's disease towards the end of the 1990s. She died on 28 December 2006 in Westcott, Surrey aged 82.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d e "Gracie Cole". The Times. 23 January 2007. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
- ^ "Last Word". 26 January 2007. BBC. BBC Radio 4.
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- ^ a b c d Wilmer, Val (20 January 2007). "Obituary: Gracie Cole". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
- ^ OCLC 156755535.
- ^ a b Ravenhill, Brian (14 April 2005). "The great Gracie Cole – My Story". 4barsrest. Retrieved 8 October 2010.
- ^ OCLC 50292391.
External links
- Gracie Cole at IMDb