Gene Quaw
Eugene Cole "Gene" Quaw was a Montana musician notable for his outdoor performances at the Canyon Hotel of Yellowstone National Park. At this venue, he would play one of his more well-known pieces, Yellowstone.
Early life
Originally living in Belgrade, Montana, Quaw moved to Bozeman and continued to live there from 1896 during his childhood, through his completion of an undergraduate degree at Montana State University. His first experiences with music were with Louis Leo Howard, a music director who supervised Quaw and his piano playing at the Bozeman Opera House. After graduation, Quaw composed music as a band leader and continued his studies across multiple universities, namely University of Minnesota, the University of California, the University of Arizona, and Louisiana State University.Career
Gene Quaw published numerous songs, including Under Any Old Moon at All, Twilight Time, Old Man Jazz, Nobody Else, The Rose of Sigma Chi, Yellowstone ''Song of the Engineers, and Dream Girl of Sigma Chi''. At Yellowstone National Park's Grand Canyon Hotel, Quaw performed outdoors for guests, which involved a dance orchestra, and, one summer, performing with the "Canyon Hotel Follies".In 1951, Quaw held a concert in Bozeman, Montana where he was presented a photo album as a tribute to his work; this album was created and signed by Montana residents and historical figures, including Fred F. Wilson, Jack Ellis Haynes, and Louis Leo Howard.