The Wolverines (jazz band)

The Wolverines
The Wolverine Orchestra. Bix Beiderbecke is fifth from the left.
Background information
Origin	Hamilton, Ohio, U.S.
Genres	Jazz, big band
Years active	1923–1931
Labels	Gennett, Claxtonola
Past members	Al Gande Bix Beiderbecke Bob Gillette Dick Voynow Dudley Mecum George Johnson Jimmy Hartwell Jimmy McPartland Min Leibrook Rosy McHargue Turk Savage Vic Berton Vic Moore

The Wolverines (also Wolverine Orchestra, Wolverines Orchestra, The Original Wolverines) were an American jazz band. They were one of the most successful territory bands of the American Midwest in the 1920s.

The Wolverine Orchestra first played at the Stockton Club, a nightclub south of Hamilton, Ohio, in September 1923. Many of its players were transplanted Chicago musicians, and it was led by pianist Dudley Mecum. Cornetist Bix Beiderbecke joined the group toward the end of the year after the lead cornetist quit. Mecum named the group based on the fact that they so often performed the Jelly Roll Morton tune "Wolverine Blues". However, he quit at the end of 1923, and was replaced by Dick Voynow, from St. Louis.

When the Stockton Club closed after a New Year's Eve brawl, the group moved to Cincinnati to play at Doyle's Dance Studio. They did a three-month stay there and became one of the city's most popular attractions, and on February 18, 1924, they recorded for the first time at Gennett Records. These were the first recordings Beiderbecke ever played on. Hoagy Carmichael was in the Gennett studio when the Wolverines recorded his tune "Free Wheeling" on May 6, 1924. It was Bix's idea to rename it "Riverboat Shuffle". The recording was released as a Gennett 78, 5454-A.

As a live act, they were so popular that the owner of Doyle's locked their instruments in his club to keep them from skipping town, but the group eventually sneaked out in order to take a job in Bloomington, Indiana. However, when they reached Bloomington, they found their gig had been cancelled. Instead, Bernie Cummins began booking gigs for them at colleges in Ohio and Indiana; they became a popular attraction at Indiana University, and recorded again in May and June 1924. Vic Berton replaced Vic Moore on drums just before their June recording date. However, Berton's tenure did not last long, and Moore returned to the band before the end of the year.