Warren Durrett Collection, MS59

Biographcal Sketch

Warren R. Durrett was born in Lebanon, KS, December 28, 1920, the youngest of seven children. His parents were Benjamin H. Durrett and Wilma Myers Durrett. He attended colleges at the University of Oklahoma and Maryville, MO, before graduating in 1951 from Kansas City University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. His schooling was self financed using earnings from playing in college dance bands.

In 1945, he started his own band of ten pieces playing weekends at the Continental Hotel Sky Hy Roof at 11th and Baltimore. The band grew rapidly in popularity playing single-night private parties and dinner dances at hotels, country clubs, area colleges, and ball rooms like the Pla-Mor where they set an attendance record for a local band of 1200 admissions in one night. Durrett also expanded the size of the band which grew to 18 pieces by the 1960s and then occasionally to 25 pieces by adding six strings and two singers.

During the last years of performance part of the schedule involved performing as the KJLA Music of Your Life Orchestra for ballroom dancing at the Adams Mark Hotel. Durrett retired the big band when he reached the age of 65. The final performance was a public dance held at the Marriott Hotel in Overland Park sponsored by KJLA radio featuring his 25 piece orchestra. The event was sold out three weeks in advance and marked Durrett's 42nd year as a band leader. During the following 14 years he wrote a 312 page book entitled "A Chronology of the Warren Durrett Big Band in Kansas City-1945-86" with pictures and discussions of band personnel and jobbing dates by decades.

From 1949 to 1967 Warren operated Durrett Productions, a musical advertising company which composed and arranged music for advertising agencies for use in radio and television commercials throughout the Midwest. In 1960 he started a career in real estate investment and land development. He formed and directed several syndicates and corporations in this field. He was a member of the National Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City and the Olathe Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the Village Presbyterian Church where he sang in the choir for 16 years. In 1991 he was awarded the annual Distinguished Achievement award by Conservatory of Music of the University of Missouri at Kansas City. There was a tribute evening held for Durrett November 17, 2001, at the American Jazz Museum, 18th and Vine, at which time Warren Durrett Orchestra memorabilia was donated to the museum.

Warren Durrett died Sunday, March 24, 2002. He is survived by his spouse of 30 years, Janice Moses Durrett, and a sister, Vivian Durrett Lowe, El Cajon, CA, sister-in-law, Helen M. Campbell, Albuquerque, NM, three step children, Sherry Scott Collins, Mercer Island, WA, Alan Rush Scott, Phoenix, AZ, and Linda Sue Scott, San Francisco, CA, two step grandchildren, Tanny Scott, Tucson, AZ, and Casey Collins, Mercer Island, WA. He is survived by nieces, Diane Knudsen Zabel, Chicago, IL, Carol Knudsen, El Cajon, CA, Suzanne Knudsen Parups, Gladstone, MO, Linda Blades Henry, Redmond, WA, and nephews, Rodney Durrett, El Cajon, CA, Richard Durrett, Los Angeles, CA, and Robert Durrett of Madison, AL, and numerous grandnephews and nieces. His musical family is large and very dear to Warren. Over 250 musicians played with his band through the years.

Obituary. Kansas City Star 28 March 2002. NewsBank NewsFile Collection. 2 Aug 2007. .