Gene Krupa in Chicago. Bartłomiej was an immigrant from Poland. Anna was born in Shamokin, Pennsylvania and was also of Polish descent. His parents were Roman Catholics who groomed him for the priesthood. He spent his grammar school days at parochial schools. After graduation he attended Saint Joseph's College for a year but decided the priesthood was not his vocation. Krupa studied with Sanford A. Moeller and began playing drums professionally in the mid-1920s with bands in Wisconsin. In 1927 he was hired by MCA to become a member of Thelma Terry and Her Playboys, the first notable American jazz band—all-girl bands
Gene Deer Gene Deer Gene Deer is an American blues, rock, and country musician/singer/songwriter based out of Indianapolis, Indiana. Regularly playing shows at the historic Slippery Noodle Inn in Indianapolis, he has recorded and released two LPs for the Slippery Noodle Sound label. He was voted the "Best Local Blues Band" for nine consecutive years (1995–2003) by the readers of Nuvo Newsweekly. In 2002, Gene was hired by Indy car driver Kenny Brack as band leader and musical director for Kenny Brack and the Subwoofers, which toured with the Indy Racing League in 2003. Kenny Brack and the Subwoofers released a CD