Merritt Brunies led this orchestra at the Friars Inn at 1834 Wasbash Street at Van Buren in Chicago. They got the gig after Merritt’s brother George Brunies‘ band the Friar’s Society Orchestra vacated the job in 1924. Merritt’s band stayed on at the Friar’s Inn for three years before leaving for the Cinderella Ballroom.
The Brunies family produced several jazz musicians. Henry Brunies played trombone in the Friars Inn Orchestra and another of the Brunies brothers, Abbie was the leader of the Halfway House Orchestra back home in New Orleans.
| Title | Recording Date | Recording Location | Company |
| Angry (Merritt Brunies / Henry Brunies / Jules Cassard) |
11-1924 | Chicago, Illinois | Autograph 610 |
| Clarinet Marmalade (Larry Shields / Henry Ragas) |
6-1925 | Chicago, Illinois | Autograph 624 |
| Flag That Train (Richmond / McPhail / Rothschild) |
5-1925 | Chicago, Illinois | Autograph 624 |
| Flamin’ Mamie (Rose / Whiteman) |
2-26-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh 40579 |
| Follow The Swallow (Rose / Dixon / Henderson) |
9-1924 | Chicago, Illinois | Autograph |
| Forever With You | 3-2-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Odeon 03301 |
| Hangin’ Around (Gardner / Hamm) |
2-26-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh 40579 |
| (I Don’t Know Why) Weep Over You (Volly de Faut / Clarke / Straight) |
11-1924 | Chicago, Illinois | Autograph 610 |
| I’m As Blue As The Blue Grass Of Kentucky (Keithley) |
2-26-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh 40576 |
| Masculine Women! Feminine Men! (Lesilie / Monaco) |
3-2-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh 40593 |
| She’s Got ‘Em (Davis / Warren) |
11-14-1925 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh Test |
| Someone’s Stolen My Sweet Baby (Brown / Clare / Pinkard) |
3-2-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh 40593 |
| Sugar Foot Stomp (King Oliver) |
11-14-1925 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh 40526-B |
| Up Jumped The Devil (Merritt Brunies / Henry Brunies) |
9-1924 | Chicago, Illinois | Autograph |
| Up Jumped The Devil (Merritt Brunies / Henry Brunies) |
11-14-1925 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh unissued |
| Up Jumped The Devil (Merritt Brunies / Henry Brunies / Hamm) |
3-2-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh 40618 |
| Want A Little Lovin’ Vocal Chorus by Lew King (Davis / Warren) |
11-14-1925 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh 40526-A |
| When Autumn Leaves Are Falling (Coslow / Silver) |
2-26-1926 | Chicago, Illinois | Okeh 40576 |
| Artist | Instrument |
| Henry Brunies | Trombone |
| Merritt Brunies | Cornet |
| Bill Creger | Tenor Saxophone, Bassoon |
| Volly de Faut | Clarinet / Alto Saxophone |
| Maurie Friedman | Piano |
| Lew King | Vocals |
| Sumner Logan | Tenor Saxophone, C-Melody Saxophone |
| Dudley Mecum | Piano |
| Bill Paley | Drums |
| Clarence Piper | Alto Saxophone, Banjo |
| Gordon Pouliot | Violin |
| Norman Van Hook | Bass Brass |
