Sing Loud, Eat Well, Do Good with the Salvation Army Band

Celebrating a 70-Year Holiday Tradition at ‘21’ with the Salvation Army Band

’21’ Club celebrates the 70th anniversary of hosting the Salvation Army Band during their December fundraising drive.  As the legend goes, the day was cold and damp, and Jack Kriendler stepped outside ‘21’ for a minute, spotting the Salvation Army Band at the corner of Fifth and 52nd. He invited the band in to warm up over a bowl of soup. To express their gratitude, the Salvation Army members offered to play a few Christmas carols for diners, and Jack and Charlie said if you play, we'll pass a hat around the dining room. (The only hat they could find was a top hat found in the check room.) A tradition was born.

On that day, one of the players was William Maltby. Captain Maltby returned to ‘21’ with the Salvation Army band for several years before he was transferred. His daughter-in-law sang there, and, in time, his granddaughter, Debbie Maltby Evans. (Now, we're up to the fourth generation – her niece and nephew.) Ms. Evans has performed for Jackie Onassis, assorted presidents (Nixon's security agents took apart the instruments before the show could go on), and Sinatra performed a duet with her on “O Holy Night.”  Ms. Evans now acts as emcee for the performance of 10 or so Salvation Army singers and players, with whom diners sing along.