Dukes of Dixieland

Trumpeter Frank Assunto (who was also a fine singer) and his brother/trombonist Fred Assunto formed the Dukes of Dixieland in 1948 and won a Horace Heidt talent contest. In 1950, they started a long engagement at the Famous Door in New Orleans. An early member of the group was clarinetist Pete Fountain and the Assunto's father, Papa Jac, joined the band in 1955 on banjo and second trombone. The ...more