On August 1, 1942, the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) went on strike against major record companies due to a dispute over royalty payments.  Union musicians could not make records but could perform on radio broadcasts or in concerts.  AFM President James Petrillo was against recording because he saw it as a substitute for live musicians. Singers, members of a different union (AFTRA) were not affected and many recorded backed by vocal groups.  Record companies settled individually in 1943 and 1944.  See a great explanation of the strike Here. 

Duke Ellington and His Orchestra was the feature attraction at the Ninth Annual Grand Ball of the Minnesota League of Credit Unions at the St. Paul Auditorium, October 31.  A concurrent concert at the Minneapolis Auditorium was headed by Jan Savitt and his Top Hatters.  Tickets were provided for 1,000 servicemen.  A Junior Halloween Grand Ball was staged on October 30 at the St. Paul Auditorium, also with Duke Ellington.  Following the events, John Esquire in the Spokesman deemed the music excellent but the decorum of the musicians “lousy.”  He reported that the musicians

loafed all over the band stand.  They drank what was obviously liquor from paper cups.  A trombone soloist was glassy-eyed from drink or something else.  They visited with the crowd constantly and several times the stand was only half full of band members when Duke began to tickle the piano.  The attractive little bronze-skinned singer was pleasing until she sang a risque off-color song which was completely bad taste in view of the large number of youngsters present.  Such poor taste and conduct from one of the acknowledged top bands of the country is strange to behold.  One explanation offered the writer is that when these bands come to the Twin Cities they are made so welcome that they lose control.

Marian Anderson presented a recital at the concert bowl of the Minneapolis Auditorium on November 24, 1942, accompanied by Franz Rupp.  This was Miss Anderson’s sixth consecutive annual appearance in the Twin Cities and the first of an 80-concert tour.

The Clef Club was the place to be on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, 1942.  The Breakfast Balls, featuring Walter Lear and His Boogie Woogie Band, started at 10 pm and lasted all night.