Biography
Grady Watts, a trumpeter prominent in big bands throughout the 1930s and 1940s especially via his association with the Casa Loma Orchestra, attended the University of Oklahoma prior to launching his professional path in Louisiana toward the end of the 1920s. In 1931 he became a member of saxophonist Glen Gray's Casa Loma Orchestra at the peak of its achievements, during which period the ensemble cut records for prominent imprints such as Decca, Brunswick, and Victor, gaining substantial favor in particular with college audiences. His affiliation with the outfit continued through 1942, at which point its appeal had waned and numerous founding players had departed. Throughout his time there Watts ranked among the ensemble's key improvisers, with evidence of his contributions appearing on the Casa Loma recording of No Name Jive issued by Decca in 1940. Full-time musical employment ended for him by 1945.