Gertrude Kepler (Mom of Recording Star)
I am looking for the family of Gertrude Kepler of Indiana, who married James P. Harrison of Virginia circa 1880-1895.
Their daughter, "Marion Harris" (Mary Ellen Harrison, 1896-1944) was famous on both sides of the Atlantic from 1916 until 1934 as recording, Broadway, vaudeville, pioneer network radio (NBC and the BBC), and early sound motion picture superstar. She had the very first smash hit records of such beloved musical standards as AFTER YOU'VE GONE, THE ST. LOUIS BLUES, THE MEMPHIS BLUES, THE MAN I LOVE, LOOK FOR THE SILVER LINING, I'LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS, among DOZENS of other hits!
I regard Marion Harris as the most unforgiveably forgotten major star in all American musical history, and I am trying to rectify this situation.
Please help me with this project if you possibly can. I've been beating my head against the wall for the past seven years, but didn't discover the Kepler connectioin until a month or two ago.
Thanks!
George Wagner
[email protected]