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According to the Internet source given below, Arthur Willard Pryor was an American trombonist, bandleader and composer of popular music. The son the town bandmaster of St. Joseph, Missouri, he showed early musical talents in mastering the cornet, alto horn, valve trombone, drums, violin, bass viol and piano. He absorbed the prevalent fashion for the early ragtime music being in the close proximity of the likes of Scott Joplin, James Sylvester Scott and Percy Wenrich.
Pryor's dazzling career as a trombonist was initiated by being given a dilapidated slide trombone by his father, Samuel who accepted it as a debt repayment. This instrument was virtually unknown in the United States at that time so consequently the 15-year old Arthur Pryor was obliged to teach himself. In so doing after much diligent practice he mastered the slide trombone horn using only the top one-third length of the slide. It was some five years later that he learned from a casual acquaintance that the complete length of the slide could be used. Due to this unconventional self-tuition whereby he innovated his alternate positions in addition to the standard seven positions he was able to achieve fantastic speed and fluidity on his instrument becoming renowned as"the Boy Wonder of Missouri."
After touring with the great cornet soloist and bandmaster Allessandro Liberati (1847-1927) he was eventually invited to join John Philip Sousa in his newly-formed concert band in 1892. In his 11-year career with the Sousa Band he rapidly advanced from first trombonist, to lead soloist and then to assistant conductor in 1895. It was in this position that he started composing cakewalk successes such as successes Southern Hospitality (1899), and A Coon Band Contest (1899).In 1903 he resigned from Sousa's band to enter into business for himself as a composer/bandmaster and pioneer in the fledgling music recording industry at the Victor Talking Machine Company. The years at the company were the most fertile period for as a composer. Of his three-hundred original works, the most famous were created during this time including: On Jersey Shore (1904), Whistler and His Dog (1905), Triumph of Old Glory (1907) and Heart of America March (1916). Arthur Pryor eventually became so well known (and financially secure) in the early music recording industry that he no longer needed to give live concerts. He was one of the first to whom recording had become more important than the giving of live performances. His Arthur Pryor Band and Pryor's Concert Band and Orchestra became household names between the 1920's and 1930's and he himself retired a wealthy man in 1933.
List of Arthur Willard Pryor's works.
Sheet Music:
It's Ragging Cats and Dogs by "Perfessor" Bill Edwards
Too Much Mustard by James Reese Europe
Ragtime Bigtime by Jenks/Grinstead
Everything is Ragtime Now by Alan Martin
American Light Music Classics by Various Artists
Classic Ragtime: Roots and Offshoots by Various Artists
Down Peacock Alley by Various Artists
Echoes from Asbury Park by Various Artists
From Ragtime to Jazz Vol. 4: 1896-1922 by Various Artists
I'll Dance till de Sun Breaks through by Various Artists
On the Boardwalk - Music From the Arthur Pryor Orchestra Collection by Various Artists
Pianola Ragtime: Early Piano Jazz and Ragtime Played on Pianola Rolls: Vol. 2 by Various Artists
Pioneer Recording Bands 1917-1920 by Various Artists
Rags to Rhythms by Various Artists
Ragtime 1900-1930 by Various Artists
Ragtime, Vol. 1: 1897-1919 by Various Artists
Real Ragtime by Various Artists
The Roots of Rag-Time by Various Artists
Salon to Swing by Various Artists
Stomp and Swerve: American Music Gets Hot by Various Artists
Thatsum Rag! by Various Artists
On The Boardwalk by Paragon Ragtime Orchestra
That Demon Rag! by Paragon Ragtime Orchestra
The Whistler and His Dog by Paragon Ragtime Orchestra
Down Peacock Alley by Palm Court Theatre Orchestra
Vol. 6 Keyboard Wizards of the Gershwin Era by Muriel Pollock
Ragging the Baby to Sleep by Symphonic Winds
The Teddy Bears Picnic by New Columbian Brass Band
Strong & Free by True North Brass