Virginia Rose "Dinney" Fischer of Parsons, Kansas
 July 12, 1913 - November 17, 1980 Born and raised in Parsons, Kansas, the youngest of the five children of Charles Augusta and Minnie Gertrude Cameron Hacker Fischer. Named after a beloved relative.  Studied music there and in Kansas City. Classically trained on the trumpet, also played stand-up bass, could play the bugle and some piano, the her musical career mostly focused on the bass.  When she was first learning to say her name as a small child she couldn't quite grasp "Virginia Rose", and it came out "Bir-Dinney Wose". Her oldest brother thought it was cute and started calling her Dinney. It stuck - that was always her name after that.  After high school and some junior college she became a hairdresser. She worked at that for a short while, but didn't like it and decided to persue the music. In the mid 1930's, she joined her two sisters and oldest brother in Southern California.  This put her in the hub of the entertainment industry. Being of "statuesque" build (5' 7 1/2", 130 lbs.), with a beautiful face and bright, outgoing, people-focused personality, she was a natural entertainer, as well as a skilled musician and vocalist. A lifetime member of Musicians Union Local 47.  She played trumpet and bass in several all-girl bands (very popular at the time), among them the Ina Rae Hutton, Lorraine Page, and Ada Leonard groups. She then started her own girl groups to play the hot-spot clubs in L.A., such as the Stork Club, Zamboanga and others.  Then going on to fronting trios and duos, playing bass and singing.  Her trio did a three month gig in Anchorage, Alaska at the Fort Starns Club. Her �Dinney Fischer Duo� (also "Dinney and Marie") with Marie Baron on piano and vocals, Dinney on Bass and vocals, played Las Vegas (Golden Nugget), Colorado Springs Antlers Hotel, and was well known around the LA. area club scene for many years.   Dinney did a lot of movie work when they needed bands in scenes for films. "Music for Millions", My Dream is Yours", "Romance on the High Seas", and "On an Island With You" among them. Had offers to go into acting but passed on it, as she didn't like the "Hollywood" scene and phonyness, although she was friendly with Jimmy Durante and Roy Rogers whom she considered very good people. At one point, she appeared on a popular radio quiz show called "Win, Place, or Show", based around horse racing. Dressed in a smart riding outfit, she blew the Call to the Post on the bugle. There was an audience, just like modern TV shows.  Dinney retired from entertaining in about 1958 and owned two local pubs in Bell, Califomia - Casey's Club and The Irish Village - which she ran until she passed away. Married a few times, her husbands, in order, were: Cecil Dallas Meade (see articles about the shower and wedding for this couple), Charles Glen Moore (my Dad), Bill Boebel, A. L. "Smitty" Smith, and Art Kortangen. She died in her sleep, at home, of a heart attack. She was 67. Written by her daughter, Diana Lu. |
� 2011-2012 Kansas History and Heritage Project