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Ky Fox, tenor banjoist in
the Seattle Banjo Club died on Dec. 5th at the age of 88. When he was
thirteen Ky noticed that a banjo player got more attention and girls than
the football players so he paid $39 for thirteen lessons and a free
Harmony banjo. He followed up with about three years of private lessons
from two teachers. His first money for playing was a $25 first prize at a
theater amateur night in 1930, playing in the duo of Banjo Ike and Ukulele
Mike.
He also took a year of
saxophone lessons and it became his main instrument when banjos faded from
popularity. He led a four piece dance band while still in high school, and
expanded in steps to an eight piece band which he led until 1948, playing
saxophone. Like most musicians he had a day job. He went to business
college and worked as an accountant until he and his wife Hazel bought a
resort on Lake Meridian in 1945 which they sold in 1968 to the county park
system.
Ky joined the Seattle Banjo
Club in 1976 and was an active member until the early 1990s when poor
health slowed him down. He wrote many banjo arrangements for the club.
--Jack LaFond
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