Mr. Warren Jennings Gale, Sr.

Warren's history in the music business started about 1938 when he was 18 years and joined his first swing band. There he either played a coronet or a trumpet. While in the Army during WW2 he was stationed near Los Angeles at a regional base. He was in their band and they performed locally and on radio. Warren also sang sometimes in the broadcasts. After the war he played in local bands and furthered his schooling in music along with learning the Bass.

In early 1952 he joined a band called The Naturals. This band was headed by Hall Daniels. Hall Daniels' band would perform in a lot of local nightclubs into the early 1970's. In 1952 the band was also doing backing instrumentation for several recording of songs by by local song writers. Sometimes the musicians would also double as the singer on the recordings. Warren recorded one song on the Velvet Records label owned by Dixie Earl Bryant. The band was used on a lot of the recordings for her Velvet label. Ceci Julian also made her first recordings with Hall Daniels and The Naturals on this label.

The Naturals also recorded four songs for the Gardenia label owned by Wallace Clark, and two songs on the Skylark label. The songs for both labels were sung by either Warren Gale and Ceci Julian, and at least one duet.

Warren also performed with Ceci Julian as singers on a Royale Records LP released in 1954.

From 1952 to about 1955, Warren was also in the backing band or orchestra on the Broadway label in Los Angeles. Hall Daniels was producer of the recording sessions but also performed in the recordings. Warren never sang for the label but Ceci Julian recorded at least 51 songs for the label.

From 1955, Warren would continue playing with The Naturals as they performed at various venues. That same year he started working at the brand new Disneyland. Over 33 years he would lead the Disney Marching Band and the dixieland band called The Strawhatters. The Strawhatters recorded one four track 45 single on the Disney label around 1957. The company could not be convinced to release a full 12" long-play album. So the band members pooled their money and in one day -- recorded a full album, and a couple extra safety tracks if needed.

Warren retired in 1988 from Disney. In appreciation of his long service, they gave him a rare wet-bar retirement party. His retirement was written up in the regional newspapers too. For about 20 more years he would perform with a couple local bands. About 2010 his beloved trumpet was also retired from service. His last years were spent enjoying life and his extended family. He found time to write his own biography (unpublished).

In in 2017, this writer made contact with him as I was researching the history of Broadway Records. from him I learned about his bigger story as a musician and a singer. This lead me to create a CD album of all his known recordings. Copies of the CD were in his hands three weeks after his 98th birthday in 2018. After 80 years in the music business, he now had an album to call his own.

I had encouraged Debbie Martinez and her husband to make a video recording with him. As he still drove at age 98 (and loved it), he went to Debbie's house and did a nice recording with them. That video with added material will be online one day.

Warren, the great person you were will not be forgotten.

A few years ago, Warren drove to my home in Lakewood and I was fortunate to interview him for an hour of Q&A recording it on videodisc. He was an amazing man! I went to his home in Long Beach and was given a tour of his memorabilia over the years as a musician and member of the Local 47. His stories of his years at Disneyland and his time in the recording studios around Los Angeles are of true
historical value. He will be missed!
Debbie Martinez
(LA as Subject Member)

Condolences from the Bonar Family. Warren and my dad, Marshall Bonar, were friends and played music together. Warren was at my dad's funeral in '84. Today I visited my mom, Katheryn Bonar, and told her of Warren's passing. She is 101 now, and was also a friend of Warren and the Mrs. Again, our thoughts are with you. Robert Bonar

RIP