Thomas Waller Lodge #49 F. & A. M.

Right Worshipful Grand Secretary Lillian D. Dandridge saw need for a daytime Lodge in  the City of Los Angeles to accommodate the many Brothers who pursued their necessary vocations at night and therefore were unable to participate actively in any of the night Lodges. He appointed Brother Paul L. Howard of Holland Lodge #20, whom later was affectionately called the "Master Builder" to assist with the organizing the first "Daylight Lodge" in the nation. 

The first steps were taken during December 1943, with the formation of the "Musicians and Actors Club 2 which was later renamed "Thomas "Fats" Waller Club" in Honor of the Legendary musician who had recently passed. 

Finally on January 31, 1944, the Most Worshipful Grand Master George R. Vaughan granted a dispensation to 88 Brothers to meet as the Thomas Waller Lodge UD at 1050 E. 50th Street in he City of Los Angeles at 12 noon on the first and third Wednesday of each month, and thus the "Daylight Lodge" in the United States for Prince Hall Masons was a reality. The first officers were 

George H.E. Browne, Worshipful Master, Fred D. Miller, Senior Warden, Ira P. Gaines, Junior Warden, Paul L. Howard, Secretary, Carl J. Johnson, Treasurer, Lee Young, Senior Deacon, James M. Monroe, Senior Steward, Leslie L. Hite, Junior Deacon, Roy T. Clayton, Junior Steward, Wilfred Charles, Chaplain, Herschel H. Coleman, Marshall, Eugene Rogers, Organist, Fred D. Doyle, Reporter, and E. D. Wallace, Tyler. Due to an Army commitment, Treasurer Carl J. Johnson had to resign and Brother Robert Brown Jr. was elected to serve in his stead. 

On July 18, 1944 during the 89th Annual Communication of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, in San Francisco, the brethren of Thomas Waller Lodge U.D. having shown their ability to "apply themselves with becoming zeal to practice  our most sacred tenets" were granted a charter and thus became Thomas Waller #49, Prince Hall Free and Accepted Masons. The Brethren of Thomas Waller Lodge No. 49 were now empowered to "Enter, Pass and Raise Freema- sons according to the ancient customs and Traditions of our venerable institution". 

Thomas Waller continues into the 21st Century January 3, 2009 installing its 65 Worshipful Master. Where it has existed to witness the first African American President Barack H. Obama elected to serve as the 41st President of the United States of America. Another interested historical event is; the Grand Lodge of Washington, D.C. has elected its first African American Most Worshipful Grand Master llllllllllll whose tenure will begin in January 2009. Theses historical events represent a changing of the guards in our Society and may these trends and these individuals repreent our community and our Country with the dignified character our forefathers and the framers of the Constitution of these Great United States knew that one day we as a people would transcend their dream, it only took 233 years. 

Thomas "Fats" Waller ( 1904-1943) For most of a decade Victor's leading jazz artist had been Jelly Roll Martin and the various incarnations of his Red Hot Peppers, but Victor eventually declined to renew Morton's contract as lagging sales reflected changes in the public taste. Victor needed a bankable star to replace Morton as the label's featured jazz artist. Waller's success on CBS convinced Victor to sign him to his first recording contract: Waller decided upon s six-piece band format. Maintaining the association with the "Rhythm Club" name, Waller and Ponce christened the Band "Fats Waller and His Rhythm". Between 1934 and 1942 the group recorded about 400 sides, well over half of Waller's lifetime recorded output. Material ranged from downright Fats Waller     was the son of a lamentable to outstanding and Waller's treatment of it preacher and learned to play the organ in church . In 1918 he won a talent contest playing James P. Johnson's Carolina Shout which he learned from watching a pianola play the song. He would later take piano lessons from Johnson. Fats began his recording career in 1922 and made a living playing rent parties, as organist at movie theatres and as an accompanist for various vaudeville acts. In 1927 he co-wrote a couple of tunes with his old piano teacher James P. Johnson for his show "Keep Shufflin". 

Two years later Waller wrote the for the Broadway hit "Hot Chocolates" with lyrics supplied by his friend Andy Razaf. Fats most famous song, "Ain't Misbehavin" was introduced in this show which featured Louis Armstrong. Fats Waller's big break occurred at a party given by George Gershwin in 1934, where he delighted the crowd with his piano playing and singing. An executive of Victor Records, who was at the party was so impressed that he arranged for Fats to record with the company. This arrangement would continue until Waller's death in 1943. Most of the records he made were released under the name of Fats Waller and his Rhythm. The group consisted of around a half a dozen musicians who worked with him regularly, including Zutty Singleton. Throughout the 1930's and 1940's Fats was a star of radio and nightclubs, and toured Europe. ranged from brusque to brilliant. 

The "Rhythm" was primarily a studio band, and recording dates had to be worked into the musicians' different schedule. Waller's genius carried the band, enabling them 

to record as many as ten sides in a single day, often consisting mainly of new material. Rarely did band members know in advance which tunes they would be recording! It is a testament to the collective musical talent of the group that they managed so well without rehearsal. This chaotic approach succeeded in part because of consistence in core personnel which included Waller, Autrey, Sedric and Casey. The chaos no doubt contributed to the spontaneity which characterizes many of the Rhythm's recordings. Many critics consider that the band's best work was issued in 1935 and 1936, and many of these releases were million-sellers. In February, 1938 Victor extended Waller's contract through May, 1944. It should be noted that Waller's contract was "Fats Waller and his Rhythm "Club" Late in 1932 Fats Waller hired Phil Ponce as manager. Ponce promptly negotiated a contract with WLW, a powerful Cincinnati radio station which was heard throughout the Midwest. His show, "Fats Waller's Rhythm Club", was an instant success. When the WLW contract concluded in early 1934, Waller returned to New York where he broadcast the "Rhythm Club" show over the CBS network to still larger audience. not exclusive and that during this period he also recored for Commodore. Victor issued some of the Rhythm sides on their Bluebird Label. The last session with Fat's Waller and his Rhythm took place on July 13, 1942 in Vic- tor's New York studios. 

So, as Fats himself might say of these recordings, "My, My, My,! Now her 'tis; Latch On!" Thomas "'Fats" Waller unexpectedly died on board a train near Kansas City, Missouri of pneumonia in 1943.