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MPR News Staff

Fats Waller disappointed St. Paul audience 80 years ago

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Today's Morning Edition music is from the legendary jazz pianist Fats Waller with "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter."

It's one of the songs he performed with his 15-piece band 80 years ago Wednesday at the Coliseum in St. Paul. That was a dance hall that shared a wall with the left-field fence at the old Lexington Ballpark on University Avenue.

The Minneapolis Spokesman reported at the time that the band's performance was "lackadaisical." They would play a number and then go "cabareting" for a few minutes with more musicians on the dance floor than on the stage. Fats left at intermission and never came back, disappointing those who had paid 85 cents to see him.

Thanks to Jeannie Anderson's Twin Cities Music Highlights for the information.