Today musical groups MAY have a member come, a member go, but bands seldom have more than a few who dropped out. Overdoses, squabbles over money, going on to pursue a solo career. But the band above had OVER 10,000 members!
For twenty five years, "Roney's Boys" toured, each one hand-picked and "trained" by Henry B. Roney. Personally, I like to think all 10,000 boys were "taught" rather than "trained" but if it worked for Roney, I guess he knew what he was doing.
Each year he found a new batch of boys to replace the old ones. Changing voices, I guess. He dressed them up in Scottish Garb to perform.
When Henry retired from the "boy training" scene in 1913, he stayed on the road lecturing in a presentation he called "Boy Problem" in which he shared his experience in raising boy singers. He kept one around to show "what can be done with boys of talent."
Now THAT is a boy band.
Roney's Boys Photo Postcard, 1911 Collection Jim Linderman
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