The Dukes of Dixieland, a Dixieland-style jazz band from New Orleans, was formed in 1948 by brothers Frank Assunto on trumpet and Fred Assunto on trombone, along with their father Papa Jac Assunto. The original lineup included Jack Maheu on clarinet, Stanley Mendelsohn on piano, Tommy Rundell on drums, and Barney Mallon on tuba and string bass. Their first records were released in the late 1950s. The band featured notable musicians such as Pete Fountain and drummer Buzzy Drootin, and recorded with Louis Armstrong. Frank and Fred Assunto both died young, leading to the original Dukes of Dixieland disbanding in the early 1970s. In April 1974, producer/manager John Shoup restarted the band under a new lineup led by Connie Jones. The Dukes of Dixieland have performed with symphony orchestras worldwide and recorded notable albums such as Gloryland (1999), which was nominated for a Grammy Award, and Bourbon St. Parade (2004).
