The Swing Queens of Louisiana Normal College

In the spring of 1943 at Normal College in Northwest Louisiana, many young men had enlisted in the armed forces. There was a shortage of men to play music for the varied activities at the college and the go-to jazz band was no longer available for dances. Edna Ruth Hearron, a junior at the time, decided to put together an all-girl jazz band to entertain at the varied college functions. She had, since she was a small child, wanted to be a band director. She caught that bug when she finally made first seat clarinet in her high school band. Edna was a music education major and a member or the Louisiana Normal band. She drafted several of her fellow band members to play in her proposed jazz band. She was also a lover of Benny Goodman, as her major instrument was the clarinet. Her goal was, therefore, to fashion the newly-named Swing Queens after the Benny Goodman orchestra, The Swing Kings. She was excited about forming this jazz band. She recognized the opportunity resulting from leading the band.

Edna became the de-facto band leader of the soon-to-be-known Swing Queens of Louisiana Normal College in Natchitoches, Louisiana. The band practiced rigorously and had many road blocks throughout the winter months. The male faculty were universally opposed to an all-girl band. They finally began to sound like a real band landed a gig at the spring formal at the college. Edna was worried that they would not live up to the former Normal men’s jazz band many of whom were now off fighting a war. She almost became tyrannical in preparing the Queens for their gig. Edna upped the practices to 8 hours per week. This caused some members to quit to have time for their studies. These members had to be replaced… that meant auditions and more time to build a band that played together. They systematically lost original and then gained alternate band members.

Finally, the day came for the gig. The band had been practicing all month and especially the last week and late into the evening hours. Many of the girls almost missed curfew because of band practice. They were all nervous and excited. As they filed onto the stage that evening, several of the girls shook so hard they didn’t know if they could play. Then, Edna stepped out in front of the band and raised her baton. There was a moment of silence. She inhaled deeply then let out a soft exhale… she waited for all the band members to follow her lead. Then she moved the baton down and the band did swing into a lively rendition of “Little Brown Jug.” They eagerly awaited to see if anyone would get out on the dance floor. They were hesitant at first but a few couples, finally, ventured out onto the dance floor and led the rest in a rapid jitterbug. The night was officially launched.

The band that night was phenomenal. At the end of the gig, Edna gave each of the female band members a $1 bill and told them, “Remember forever your first paying gig… consider it a raging success! You were great.” As the girls stepped out, instruments secured in their cases, they were hopeful and optimistic that they might have future gigs for the music they all loved to play.

The Queens learned pieces from all the current bands and artists such as Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Harry James, Stan Kenton, Artie Shaw, Jimmy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Tommy Dorsey, Al Hirt and many others. Some of their favorite songs included String of Pearls, Mairzy Doates, Little Brown Jug, I’ll Be Seeing You, It Had to be You, Chatanooga Choo, Stardust, Boggie Woogie Bugle Boy, You Are My Sunshine, and many more.

The band continued to practice. They became better and more renown. The all-girl Swing Queens celebrated their success by becoming in demand throughout the state of Louisiana. They played college gigs and even some private venues. As it turned out, the Swing Queens were not only good, but they became successful and quite in demand. They were booked for playing gigs in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and several other colleges across the state of Louisiana. They even had one gig on the gulf-coast of Mississippi.

Edna’s campus advisor had promised her she would graduate in the spring of 1944 as she was to have credit for forming and directing the Swing Queens. When the advisor went off to war, Edna’s credits went unrecorded and she did not graduate in 1944 as she had planned. Since she could not graduate in 1944, she went on to marry William A. Daniel, Jr. in May of 1944. She did, however, return to Northwestern State College in the late 1950s to complete her undergraduate and graduate degrees. Her major was, of course, music education. She always bragged about having the only undergraduate degree from Northwestern that required 199 semester hours.

Edna went on to become a choral director at Morgan City High School in Morgan City, Louisiana for the 1961-1962 school year. The next year, she moved to a substitute position pursuing her first love of directing a band and lead the Berwick High School band in Berwick, Louisiana for the 1962 – 1963 school year. Finally, in 1963, she was commissioned to build and lead the newly-formed Patterson High School band. She also had to teach lessons for the junior high and elementary students at Patterson.

Edna Ruth Hearron Daniel was the first female documented and certified high school band director in the state of Louisiana. She did build a band curriculum from scratch for Patterson High School in Patterson, Louisiana. Her high school band successfully marched and performed at the nearby Morgan City/Berwick Petroleum and Shrimp Festival parade. She became the ultimate Swing Queen continuously training future generations of music lovers. Edna passed away in Natchitoches, Louisiana in January of 1998. After resigning from her music teaching activities, Edna became a principal in The Daniel Agency in Morgan City, Louisiana catering to the insurance industry.

Edna's youngest son, John “Jack” Daniel, continued her musical tradition. He is now a drummer in Austin, TX and he plays with several bands in that area. Jack’s bands include the Michael Cross Peace, Love & Blues Band, an Animals tribute band, and the Lavelle White band. His web site for Austin Drummer Jack Daniel (https://austindrummerjackdaniel.com/ ) outlines his current music endeavors.

We hope that Edna Ruth Hearron Daniel will always be remembered for her vision and tenacity. She ultimately achieved her dream of leading others to enjoy music as much as she did. She left many accomplished musicians and music lovers in her wake. She was, to us, the original Swing Queen and Leader of the Band.