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Freddie Shaffer and His all Girl
Orchestra
"The Victory Sweethearts"
Freddie Shaffer was born and raised in Frankfort, Indiana. Mr. Shaffer preformed with the Fred Waring and Paul Whiteman Orchestras before returning to Clinton County to teach music to interested students.
In 1938 Mr. Shaffer started with about 15 girls to establish an all-girl band. The big band era was in full swing and the girls were selected for their musical talent and singing ability.
In 1941, The Freddie Shaffer Band provided music for the first
commercial radio program broadcast from Frankfort with a Kokomo Radio Station
WKMO. Mayor William P. Lockwood spoke at the dedication shortly after
completing his speech he remarked he felt sick, collapsed and died.
Performing for local lodges and clubs on weekends the band soon
was hired to go to the colleges, universities and larger cities. Their theme
song was
"Moonglow".
In 1942, the band was offered a job for a week to play at Geneva
On The Lake, Ohio. The girls were so well received they stayed the summer.
The pay was union scale $35.00 a week all expenses paid including an evening
gown.
The band was booked for the USO and toured the eastern part of the US, military bases during World War II. . The group was known as Freddie Shaffer and the "Victory Sweethearts."
After the war and the USO tours the girls slowly began to leave
the band for marriage and families, their replacements were not always up to
Freddie's standards and the band dwindled. Six piece combos were in, big bands
were out. Interest in swing and girl performers was out. The Men Were Home!
Mr. Shaffer disbanded his remaining members in 1953 and returned to Frankfort. Freddie Shaffer died in 1956 at the age of 53.