Ada Leonard Part Two, 1943-55 and The Sharon Rogers Band Overseas, 1945-46

The all-female Big Band of Ada Leonard (see Part 1) was the best-known of around 100 “all-girl” Swing orchestras playing for the troops during WWII. The Sharon Rogers Band toured overseas entertaining troops in the Pacific war zone. Keen curiosity has arisen about these so-called “all-girl” orchestras of the war era. The following narrative relies in large part on the landmark research collated in the books Swing Shift: ‘All-Girl’ Bands of the 1940s by Sherrie Tucker (Duke, 2000) and The Sharon Rogers Band by Pat McGrath Avery (self-published, 2010). Please note that the term “girl,” meaning “woman,” is used in its historical context. Nevertheless, these ensembles were often staffed by very young woman, often less than 18 years of age as explained below. Becoming a National Act Ada Leonard (7.22.15 - 11.29.97) and the All-American Girl Orchestra toured Army training camps, USO theaters and commercial dance halls across the USA during the war and were second in popularity only to the International Sweethearts of Rhythm (profiled in part three). The bandleader split their performing schedule between army camp gigs during the week and theaters or dance halls on the weekends, dealing with USO as just another client though a large and important one. Ada Leonard leading her All-American Girl Orchest