Paul Tutmarc and the Islandaires.

 Recently there has been some interest generated about Paul Tutmarc. 
Because I played with Paul in his Hawaiian band I've been asked to write something about what I know.  For some reason I can't remember when I first got acquainted with him.  In any case I was about 16 and had studied Spanish guitar since I was 12 or 13. It probably was through my search for more experience that we came in contact. He had a studio on the second floor there at 7th and Pine over a tavern. Paul had a parking space behind the tavern in the alley where an incident happened that I will tell you about a little later.   I had been active in church music.  Anyone who lived in the thirties probably remember Rev. Offler.  How about Painless Parker?

I played in several churches orchestras who also had some radio programs but I don't remember Paul ever being active in church activities during the time I knew him.  We  never had any contact with his family during this time.


Anyway, Paul organized a small Hawaiian orchestra called the Islandaires.  I was a member.  I played lead guitar.  Paul, of course played the Hawaiian steel guitar  of which he also manufactured.  It's amazing how little I knew of that part of his life at the time considering the fact that I was with him quite a lot for at least a year or so.  There is quite a lot to his story regarding his manufacturing and inventing the Hawaiian steel guitar and it is amazing  I know so little considering the time I knew him. On the other hand maybe I just forgot.    I was only 15 or 16 and business wasn't a big part of my life.  Music and girls probably. 

This part of his life I don't remember ever having much to do with his family and business activities.  His association with Les Paul was totally unknown to me.  In fact I don't think I knew about Les Paul at the time. 

 We didn't talk about that because we would be busy practicing.  Other  members of the band were Wesley Coatney who played string base.  Then there was Jack Gress who played the ukelele and second guitar when needed.  I think we had a singer available too but the singer didn't practice with us and the times we played we didn't need a singer.  Especially if we didn't get paid.  Just like the rock and roll days.  I wanted to make a trio or quartet to sing some of the songs.  But I kept putting off doing the harmonizing because actually I didn't have the background in music to do it.  A shame too because I wanted so much to know music.

Somewhere in my things is a picture of the Islandaires done for promotional purposes that Paul had done.  I had a couple hard drives crash and it may have been lost.  But I have so many duplicates that it has  to be  somewhere.  And then there is the original picture.  Downsizing to an apartment causes lot of problems if you are one who values their history. I also saw it here at the apartment but where I don't know  where now.  I am still looking.
We continued to practice and started getting occasional jobs.  One time we were at the Olympic Hotel back stage and Paul and Johnny Cherberg got into an argument.  Cherberg became a politician.  I don't remember if he was at the time.  Quite important later. I believe there is a hall out at the U of W named after him.  Paul accused Johnny of owing him a dollar.  They almost got into fista-cuffs over this.  Then there was a time at Paul's studio when Paul wanted to park in his parking space in the alley but some guy in the tavern was using it.  Paul just blew his stack.  He picked up a good sized rock and started beading on tthe hood of the car just enraged.  The guy came out of the tavern imploring Paul to stop beating on the hood.  


What caused the demise of the Islandaires was the depression.  We managed to scrape up 25 bucks  for the jackets for our picture but after we played for the Real Estate magnate somewhat later the Musicions Union demanded that if we wanted to play paying jobs we had go join the union which was $75.  None of us had that kind of money so we disbanded.  I don't know if Paul had it but he would  not spring for our dues so we quit as an organization.  


I lost contact with Paul for a few  years and later someone notified  me, probably my wife Kay, that he had divorced and married Bonnie Guitar.   I was in Germany by then in the Army.




Stay tuned more later. 


Doyal Gudgel


Bill Sheldon June 17, 1920. April 4, 2001. Four years in the 3rd Infantry Division WW2 His story. Find it at Four years in the 3rd Inf in WW2
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