A word of admiration for the inimitable Halfdan O. Stromsnes and his one-man Depression Band. Only a creative genius like Halfdan could compose and perform all his music on instruments made by his own hand from objects that were throw away during the hardest of economic times. The instrumentation included a five gallon oil can drum played by a cable rig to the right knee percussion section(the left knee controlled the cymbals). Guitar was crafted from a grease can and a Ford Fender (Not gonna say anything about Stratocaster here because this is serious). Above the string section, Maestro Stromsnes provided the wind for five harmonicas mounted on a coffee can.
Halfdam Stromsnes was a machinist at the Defiance Lumber Company and when not entertaining audiences he mastered 14 trades meaning virtually no tool or task was beyond him in the workplace. But beyond the mill Halfdan could really carry a tune….Let me start that again because this is serious.
As Mr. Stromsnes’s concert career skyrocketed
his production standards improved dramatically. Like John Phillip Sousa (who also played Tacoma, once before a sold out crowd at Stadium Bowl) the one man band adopted military style uniform, a brass section and trailing drum line. History does not clearly record the trajectory of the Depression Band and sadly its legendary reputation is lost in the fog of World War Two. Like Glen Miller, (or Buddy Holly)we may never know the sound of Halfdan O Stromsnes’ last great melody and no recordings of his music are known to have survived.
Please, if you know anything about this master or his masterpieces share your knowledge. Posterity cries out for it.
tacoma history 