Robert Anderson Music Arrangements Collection

Collection

Identifier: Mss 358

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Robert Anderson Music Arrangements Collection consists of musical arrangements that were used by Fargo, N.D.’ WDAY Radio band that performed live on the air. The collection gives a glimpse into the music that was popular and broadcast during the time period. The vast majority were arranged by WDAY staff arranger Frank Scott who was employed there in the 1940s and early 1950. According to Bob Anderson at the time of donation, he salvaged the arrangement when WDAY Broadcasting was moving location in Fargo. The collection has been arranged alphabetically by name of the song. After each song time has been added information (original composers and ‘Arranged by Frank Scott’) from the actual music and also the envelope labeling information (instrumentation) that apparently was added by Mr. Anderson. Each title consists of the individual music parts as listed with the song time. For only two arrangements is there also a copy of the published sheet music. It does appear that several of the songs are original compositions by Frank Scott. Although some do not have any arranger attribution, it is suspected that Scott was responsible for many of the others as well. None of the arrangements are dated with the year that they were arranged by Mr. Scott.

Dates

1940s-1950s.

Creator

Anderson, Robert, 1928-2009. (Person)

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Institute.

Copyrights

Copyrights to this collection are not held by the Institute.

Biography

Robert ‘Bob’ Anderson was born November 1, 1928 in Fargo, N.D. to Axel T. and Olga S (Howe) Anderson. After graduating from Fargo Central High School in 1946 he toured with the Territory Orchestra in the central U.S.A. until 1949 when he joined the WDAY Orchestra under the music direction of Frank Scott and remained with them until 1951 when he moved to Chicago. There he worked for American Airlines. While in Chicago he played with a series of Chicago bands. In 1958 he began a fifteen year career with Olivetti Corporation, played with Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. bands and formed his own musical group. In 1979 Bob Anderson returned to the Fargo-Moorhead area and with friend Paul Severson formed three music groups, ‘Tuxedo Junction,’ The Red River Dixieland Band,’ and The Great American Ballroom Band.’ Due to their success he formed an entertainment agency Crescendo Music Productions. In 1990 he founded the local Jazz Arts Group, then the Jazz Arts Big Band. In 1993 Bob Anderson married Alice Nystrom and she worked as his side for the next sixteen years. Also in 1993 he launched the Jazz Arts Education Program. During this time he received a B.A. degree in music from Minnesota State University Moorhead. He also served as president of the F-M Musicians Association, Local 382 of the American Federation of America. In 2001 he was awarded the ‘Jazz Arts Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2004 the Lake Agassiz Arts Council’s Advocacy Award. Bob Anderson died August 29, 2009 in Moorhead, Minn.