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Ted Palmer Orchestra
Ted Palmer was born in London Ontario on March 27th 1907. His music career began when he took lessons on sax and clarinet from Professor Venuta. Ted must have been a very apt and talented pupil since in later years Professor Venuta would recommend him as a teacher of sax and clarinet. Venuta also included the names of his most famous pupils on his own personal letterhead - the Lombardo Brothers, Bert Niosi and Ted Palmer.
Ted formed his own group in 1932 and the band rehearsed for a full year before taking any jobs, the first of which was at Ipperwash Beach. The casino there has long since gone. The next engagement was at the Brant Inn, Burlington Ontario, which lasted for a full year - normally the Inn closed during the winter months. Ted Palmer left the band during this engagement due to a problem with management and Gayle Gordon took it over.
Ted Palmer then went on to create a series of music stores in London, St Thomas and Sarnia - the London one was located at 110 Dundas St according to the 1938 directory of the city.
In the 1940's he joined the London education system and taught music in the public system. He died in 1965 and is buried in Sarnia