Don Shoup

American bandleader, trombonist, vocalist, guitarist, and arranger, also known as Don Reid

Shoup made his debut in the music world at the age of 14 playing with various college bands, and later studied musical composition and harmony at Carnegie Tech. He handled musical arrangements for former classmate Dick Powell, and then joined Jan Garber's orchestra as chief arranger and featured trombonist. After leaving Garber's orchestra to organize his own, Shoup continued to arrange music for him.

The original orchestra was led by Marvin Dale, while Shoup stayed in the background. Shoup became the leader in 1941 when Dale went to the Army, and took the stage name Don Reid because his agent didn't like his real name. The orchestra played around the US from the early 1940s until 1955, and featured musicians included former Garber trumpeter and vocalist Fritz Heilbron, singers Doris Donovan, Gwen Parke, Jimmy Conley and Clive Weber.

Shoup married singer Gwen Parke in 1947, and they settled in Memphis, Tennessee in 1955 where Shoup continued to play with local musicians. They moved to Texas in the early 1990s. Their son Sam Shoup is also a musician.

Born: 24 April 1906 in Emlenton, Pennsylvania, USA
Died: 13 April 2001 in Georgetown, Texas, USA