Floye "Flo" Dreyer

Floye "Flo" Dreyer

August 1, 1927 – March 2, 2026

Floye "Flo" Katherine Dreyer passed away peacefully in Miami, Florida, on March 2, 2026. She was 98 years old.

Born on August 1, 1927, in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Floyd and Mary Dreyer, Flo showed independence and determination from an early age. At just 14 years old, she left home to go on the road playing music, a bold decision that began a remarkable life in jazz.

A gifted trumpeter and valve-trombonist, Flo became one of the pioneering women instrumentalists in jazz at a time when very few women were welcomed on bandstands. She was later recognized in Women in Jazz for her groundbreaking career and lasting contributions to the genre.

As a teenager, she joined the Joy Cayler 16-piece all-girl swing band, performing as first trumpet and touring internationally with USO shows. She later played first trumpet with the renowned International Sweethearts of Rhythm, one of the most celebrated all-women big bands of the era, performing in major venues across the United States.

In the 1950s, Flo helped push the boundaries even further by forming one of the first all-women bands to tour internationally under her leadership. The group performed abroad, including extended engagements in Caracas, Venezuela. She later founded the Flo Dreyer Quintet in New York, a versatile and highly respected ensemble that toured extensively throughout the United States and internationally, including Canada, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, Greenland, Newfoundland, and Hawaii.

Her musicianship was known for its precision, strength, and unmistakable confidence. More importantly, her presence helped pave the way for generations of women who followed. Flo was part of a small but determined group of trailblazing women who proved that talent - not gender - belonged on the jazz stage.

Flo continued performing in South Florida for the North Miami Concert Band and the Hallandale Symphonic Pops Orchestra until the age of 88!

Flo was preceded in death by her beloved partner of over 55 years, Fagle Liebman. Their lifelong partnership reflected deep loyalty, companionship, and shared strength.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Women in Jazz Organization, https://wearewijo.org/ to support scholarships and opportunities for young women pursuing careers in jazz.

Flo lived boldly, played brilliantly, never met a stranger, and approached life the same way she approached the bandstand - with quick wit, fearless confidence, and the certainty that she belonged there.

Arrangements by Levitt-Weinstein Blasberg-Rubin-Zilbert Memorial Chapel, (305) 932-2700