Ethwell Hanson

Ethwell Idair "Eddy" Hanson, concert organist and composer from Waupaca, Wisconsin. b.August 1, 1893 d. February 22, 1986 He began piano lessons at age eight. At 12, Eddy was part of a local orchestra, playing the piano while his audience kept time to two-step favorites. In the Navy, during the first World War, he played on stage with many celebrities like Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, and others. Then he played the saxophone in one of John Philip Sousa's hand-picked bands from 1917-1919. In 1923, Eddy Hanson became the first radio organist in Chicago at station WDAP (later WGN), playing on radio shows with Grace Wilson, Kate Smith and Rudy Vallee, "Amos and Andy," "Fibber McGee and Molly," "Helen Trent," "Myrt and Marge" and others. He also played occasional 15 minute solo spots. Later, as an acclaimed musician, he was still composing and had written over 300 songs. Hanson moved back to Wisconsin, retiring in Waupaca, in the early 1960s. He performed locally with polka bandleader Lawrence Duchow, and taught lesson's through Al Rollo's Hammond Organ studios. He released 3 LPs and a single (from the 3rd LP) through Rollo's private label in 1969, and reissued one LP, "Eddy Hanson - Master Organist" through his own personal Kobar Records in 1985. In the 1970s he was regarded as the oldest master organist still alive, and still active giving concerts and seminars on organ performance. After another decade of successes and accolades, Eddy was honored as a special member of 1980 AMICA (Automatic Musical Instrument Collector's Association) for his earlier piano roll work. In April of 1984 Eddy moved into the Wisconsin Veteran's Home in King, Wisconsin. The master organist died there at the age of 92 in 1986.