In the late '60s and early '70s, we played band music in school composed and arranged by James D. Ployhar. Little did I know that 20 years later I would be singing in the same church choir as he, and be one of the original members of the "Fargo Theater Singers" in 1988 under his direction.
Ployhar was a true musician in every way: writer, composer, arranger, singer, piano player, band director, as well as comedian and historian. He knew the history of every song and its composer and what was happening in world events at that time.
Ployhar formed and directed the Fargo Theater Big Band All-Stars. This may sound like an easy feat for those who listened to their performances, but for those of us who saw him work behind the scenes, it was a different story. He arranged a lot of the music from the '40s and '50s, as some were no longer in print. He arranged our quintet music, all hand-written in perfect notation without use of a computer. He replicated the songs so perfectly that we could practice each part with the actual recordings and every note was perfect!
He wrote the scripts for every show, coordinated the extra "acts" including ballroom dancing, trios, quartets, and comedians. He rehearsed separately with the band and the quintet and tried to "put us together." He sent out his own mailings with rehearsal schedules, orders to "memorize," lists of upcoming events to plan for and also thank-you notes after the performances.
The band and singers performed annually at the Fargo Theater Silent Movie Night but also at Valley City High School class reunions, the Fargo Elks Club, North Dakota State University Alumni show 50th anniversary celebrations, MeritCare talent festival, Holiday Inn Christmas parties, Dollars for Scholars, Presbyterian Church concert series, New Years Eve at the Elks, Kiwanis show at the Fargo Theatre, Gala and Silent Auction at the Hjemkomst, Plains Art Museum grand opening, Fergus Falls Theater, Life's Options at the Fargo Civic, Fargo/Moorhead 125 Years Together Celebration, barbershop chorus show and even for a dance at the Eagles Club.
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The performances at the Silent Movie Night included these headlines and more:
Best Band's Biggest Hits, Salute to Glenn Miller, Big Sounds of the Big Band Radio Remotes, Those Wonderful Wacky Tunes from the Big Band Era, Your All-time Hit Parade, Stage Door Canteen, Cavalcade of Big Band Hits, Memories of Lawrence Welk, Return to the Roaring Twenties, A Salute to D-Day, and Lawrence Welk Plays the Hits that made the Big Bands Famous.
Ployhar's funeral on Jan. 6 was a grand celebration of his life. It was a privilege to know him, to sing with him, laugh at his jokes and listen to his stories. May the big band music live on! Thank you, Jim, for the music.
Gylland is a member of the Fargo Theater Singers.
