THE 2013 DOGTOWN STREET MUSICIANS FESTIVAL -
SEPTEMBER 21, 2013

OUR 2013 FESTIVAL IS DEDICATED TO: CHARLEY MOSER

Left: Charlie Moser's son, Dennis (shown), accepted the plaque from DHS President, John Corbett, in their fathers name.

Each year, we dedicate this festival to honor a Dogtown individual who has excelled at music and has been a positive influence on our neighborhood. This year we are proud to honor the magnificent musical career of the late Charley Moser.

Charley Moser, who passed away in August of 1979, entertained the public and in particular Dogtown residents with the golden tones of his saxophone and clarinet for many years."

Charley was raised in south St. Louis, the son of Frank and Anna Moser and came from a very musically inclined family. All of his sisters and brothers learned to play instruments. Playing music was their primary form of entertainment. His father played the accordion. Charlie started playing the saxophone and clarinet professionally at the age of 16.

Charley was a lifelong member of the musician's union and played with some of the best bands in the country, including the Kay Kaiser Band and the Bob Crosby Bobcats when Mel Torme was the singer. Charley Moser played in Dogtown at the White House Tavern on Graham and Clayton during the 30s and 40s and he was the Master of Ceremonies and sax player at the famous Club Casino on the Hill for years. During the war Charley’s Band played at the Forest Park Highlands.

The late 50’s brought Charlie Moser to the country scene, playing in a country band with Claude “Skeets” Yaney (a country music hall-of-famer and longtime KMOX radio host) on the “Skeets and Frankie Show”. In the 60s Charley played at the Brass Key on the Hill.

Many of us remember the Charley Moser Band when they played for our school picnics at Forest Park. All the kids would assemble in lines on Tamm Avenue and we would follow Charley’s marching band over to the picnic area for food, entertainment and contests. He had acquired great fame as a sax player but still always had time for his St. James the Greater parish activities.

This festival honors those musicians from Dogtown who went on to be successful in their musical careers but never forgot where they came from and how much this neighborhood meant to them. Charley Moser exemplified these musicians.