It would soon be adopted as the theme of the circus. At the request of Brill he wrote and dedicated to Brill “Barnum & Bailey’s Favorite,” his most famous march and possibly the most recognizable American music written specifically for the circus. English (a famous march composer), and in 1913 in the Barnum and Bailey Circus band under Ned Brill. In 1912, he performed in the Sells-Floto Circus under W.P. The next year he was performing in the Yankee Robinson Circus band under Theo Stout. That year, at the age of 19, he joined the band of Robinson’s Famous Circus Shows as a baritone horn player under conductor Woodring Van Anda (“Woody Van”). In 1909 King joined the Fred Neddermeyer Band of Columbus, OH, but shortly thereafter in 1910 began a short career for the next ten years playing baritone in and directing a variety of circus bands. His first copyrighted work was “Moonlight on the Nile Waltz” (also 1909). His first known composition still extant was composed for the Thayer Military Band while he was performing in it – titled “March T.M.B.” (1909). He also played in the Soldier’s Home Band in Danville, IL. He left school after the eighth grade at the age of fourteen to learn the printing trade, while composing music at night, but soon switched to playing in and composing for bands. He learned to compose by studying scores. Otherwise, he grew up as a self-taught musician with very little schooling of any kind. He also had four piano lessons and one harmony lesson from musical show director William Bradford. His early musical training was from Emile Reinkendorff, director of the Grand Army of the Republic Band of Canton on this instrument, and from William Strassner, director of the Thayer Military Band, when he switched from the cornet to the baritone horn, with Strassner instructing him on that instrument. The King family moved to Xenia, OH, a short time later, and around the turn of the century to Canton, OH, when Karl was eleven, the year he used newspaper carrier income to purchase his first musical instrument, a cornet. Karl Lawrence King (Febru– March 31, 1971) was an American march music bandmaster and composer who is best known for his “Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite.” King was born on February 21, 1891, in the village of Paintersville, OH, the only child of Sandusky S.
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