Wire Brushes, used by Ray McKinley: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This pair of wire brushes were made by an unknown maker in the United States, 1970s. They are drum brushes with red rubber molded handles and wire hoop ends.

This pair of wire brushes are from a drumset used by American jazz drummer, singer, and bandleader Ray McKinley around 1969-1980. Ray McKinley (1910-1995) made his first recordings with Red Nichols, where he worked with Glenn Miller and Jimmy Dorsey, in 1931. McKinley continued to work mostly with Miller and the Dorsey Brothers (Jimmy and Tommy) through 1939. He then was a member of Will Bradley’s band through 1942. After enlisting in the Army in 1942, McKinley joined Glenn Miller’s American Band of The Allied Expeditionary Forces (AEF). After Miller’s disappearance in 1944, McKinley co-led the band with Jerry Gray.

After the war, McKinley formed his own band and worked as a freelance musician. In 1956 he was commissioned by the widow of Glenn Miller to organize a new band under Miller’s name using the original library and style. This band made a successful tour of Iron Curtain countries in 1957 and continued to tour the United States until 1966. McKinley played drums while Buddy DeFranco fronted the band from 1966-1974. McKinley continued to perform through the 1980s.

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: 1970s
• user: McKinley, Ray
• Object Name: brushes, pair of
• Physical Description: metal (overall material)
• Physical Description: rubber (overall material)
• Measurements: overall: 34 cm x 1 cm; x 13 3/8 in x 3/8 in
• Measurements: overall, each: 3/4 in x 4 in x 13 5/8 in; 1.905 cm x 10.16 cm x 34.6075 cm
• place made: United States
• ID Number: 1998.0075.16
• accession number: 1998.0075
• catalog number: 1998.0075.16
• Credit Line: Gift of Gretchen H. McKinley and Jawn McKinley Neville
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.