Globe-Democrat Article

The Four Longo Sisters Form An Entire Orchestra

September 7, 1930

The Longo family tree has literally sprouted music from almost every branch. There was great-grandfather on Mrs. Anthony Longo?s side who was a champion fiddler. And not only did the venerable music maker fiddle ?Turkey in the Straw? and other rustic gems to the elimination of all other competitors, but he made the fiddle on which the contest was won. Then there was grandma, his daughter, who inherited great-grandfather?s knack for harmony and whose dainty fingers lured strains of sweet music from the organ. And many were the Sunday morning services and Wednesday prayer meetings at which grandma pedaled the congregation into a state of edification.

Is it any wonder, then, that Mrs. Longo and her four daughters are all versatile musicians? That Genevieve, 20?you perhaps know her as ?Bunny? Longo?has attained a high place in entertainment circles, her talent having spread as far as the ether waves can carry the plaintive notes of banjo and guitar? That Margaret, 18, performs on the drums, violin and mandolin with equal dexterity? That Josephine, 16, has mastered the saxophone and clarinet? That Nellie Mae, 14, can contribute her bit on either the piano or drums? And that Mrs. Longo is a pianist of unusual ability? Is it any wonder, when you think of great-grandfather fiddling his way to fame on a home-made violin, that his great-grandchildren are talented musicians?

But lest we incur the ill will of the Longo ladies there is another whose name must be mentioned when words of their success are written. And he is Anthony Longo, a bright little Italian, whose beaming countenance and sunny disposition are as well known to commission row where he has been in business for the past twenty years, as are his wife and daughters to the thousands of St. Louisans who have heard their music in person or over the radio.

Anthony?you?d better call him Tony, said Mrs. Longo?has inherited his forbears? love of music. He has a voice that his family will tell you transports its hearers to the sunny shores of Naples. And had money been more profuse in his youth and brothers and sisters less, Tony Longo today would be as proficient a musician as the other members of his family. Nevertheless, he has found great pleasure in the progress of his wife and daughters in the realm of harmony and has cheerfully borne the expenses of their respective careers.

Of the Longo troupe, the name of ?Bunny? Longo probably stands out in your recollection of things musical. The eldest of the sisters, she is the only one of the family who is a member of the Musicians? Union, a factor that has caused her path to separate from her sisters as it is against the rules for a union musician to appear on the same program with nonunion talent, unless the work is being done without remuneration.

So at present ?Bunny? and the younger trio go their own ways. Perhaps, some day, if they, too, decide to make music their livelihood, they may, by joining the union, again combine their talents as in the days before ?Bunny? became a full-fledged professional.

On occasions, however, when no compensation is being received for their work, the family appears together. One of them is at the annual commencement exercises of the Mann School from which all of the Longo girls were graduated. And a graduation, as the saying goes, without the Longo family as one of the features of the program, would be like Hamlet without Hamlet. Then they have given generously of their time and talent for the entertainment of inmates of the City Jail and the Workhouse, not to mention the scores of times they have accommodated friends by furnishing a complete orchestra at private parties and weddings.

But these are but a small item in comparison to their professional appearances, which have included banquets, conventions, radio shows, moving picture houses, dances and lodge entertainments.

Conversation about the Longos? musicianship inevitably focuses on ?Bunny?, petite, vivacious, brunette curls shading mischievous blue eyes; ?Bunny?, who as head of the banjo department of the Hugo School of Music has fifty pupils in her charge; ?Bunny?, who is the only woman member of the school?s orchestra which broadcasts over a local station; ?Bunny?, whose banjo adds its tinkling strains to the syncopation of the Melody Maids, a girls? orchestra; ?Bunny?, who is the idol of her younger sisters, the adored of her parents.

Of her own musical history, Mrs. Longo reminisced, ?like all children I didn?t appreciate the musical advantages my parents made possible for me. I wouldn?t practice my piano lessons. And finally they gave up in despair. But when my two sons died in infancy I turned to music to forget. And as a result, my daughters were raised in a musical atmosphere. As each one became old enough, she was given piano lessons. Always the finest of teachers were secured for her. And as she showed an inclination for a particular instrument, she was encouraged to study it.

?The mandolin made its appearance in our family circle after we had heard a girl play one at a Sunday school entertainment,? said Mrs. Longo. ?Mr. Longo and I decided that one of our daughters should have a mandolin. Our next acquisition was a banjo to accompany the mandolin. I remember we met with quite a bit of family opposition at the time. One of ?Bunny?s? uncles remonstrated, ?Why that?s a darky instrument,? he said, ?Certainly nothing for a little girl.? But ?Bunny? was as captivated by the instrument as we were. She now plays both the tenor and plectrum or long-neck banjo, which is extremely difficult to master. The average man cannot play it because the reach is so long. Her repertoire includes more than one hundred memorized pieces and she specializes in novelty interpretations of all types of music from jazz to classical.?

The Longo sisters made their debut as an orchestra five years ago when their ages totaled less than half a century. That was before ?Bunny? had become an avowed professional through affiliation with the union and there was nothing to hinder the family from appearing together. Their instruments in those days approximated their skill, which, although remarkable for so young a group of musicians, left much to be accomplished.

?Josephine?s saxophone,? said Mrs. Longo, ?was a ?tinny? instrument, costing no more than $25. Last Christmas we gave her a $265 gold-plated saxophone. Margaret?s drums cost a good sum, too. You see, we give musical instruments instead of fur coats in this house for Christmas. ?Bunny? has about $500 invested in instruments which she purchased from her earnings.

?In the early days,? Mrs. Longo continued, ?we used to play at lodge meetings for $1.50 an hour. And I couldn?t begin to count the dances, the church entertainments, the graduation exercises and parties at which we performed.

?Later on ?Bunny? and Margaret broadcast over a local station on the Buster Brown hour. ?Bunny? played the banjo and Margaret the mandolin. They were widely known to the air audience as ?Bunny? and ?Sis.? Josephine played the saxophone and announced their programs.

?While she was a student at Roosevelt High School ?Bunny? had an offer to play with the Gibson Orchestra, composed entirely of girls at Benish?s during the supper hour. She received pay for two hours work every night, and it was then that she decided to make music her livelihood. At present she is one of the ?Melody Maids? who have been featured over the radio, at conventions, banquets, moving picture houses and at similar places where good music is in demand. She has had an offer to join the ?Red Heads,? a girls? orchestra, which has appeared several times at the St. Louis Theater, but this has been rejected, as Mr. Longo and myself feel that she is too young to go on the road.?

?Will the other girls make music their career?? Mrs. Longo was asked. She isn?t sure. ?Margaret, who is studying at Rubicam?s, seems to favor the business world,? she says. ?Josephine and Nellie Mae are still in high school. But I believe they will continue with their music. Both are members of the high school orchestra.?

The Longo residence at 3906A Wyoming Street bears evidence of its musical occupants. A grand piano, drums, cymbals and a saxophone suggest the supremacy of music, and even Polly in the kitchen is music-minded. She renders her own interpretation of ?School Days,? the tuneful number which introduces the Hugo Schools of Music to radio audiences. In fact, one almost expects music from the typewriter on which Margaret taps out her business school assignments.