Musicians Elsie Mae and Ralph Waldo Emerson Married on WLS

Photo of Elsie Mae Emerson on the cover of the April 10, 1947, issue of Stand By magazine. A head shot of the radio musician is featured. She's smiling and wearing a dark collared shirt with white stripes. — *Elsie Mae Emerson on the cover of Stand By magazine in 1947*

Falling asleep at night to the sweet strains of the popular Swiss instrument, the zither, played by her father and mother, is one of Elsie Mae Emerson's earliest memories as a little girl up in Kaukauna, Wisconsin. She loved it, for like the other seven members of her family, Elsie Mae Look was a born musician.

Every member of the family plays the piano. The guitar, the mandolin, and the violin were also favored instruments in the home. Emerson's mother taught all kinds of stringed instruments.

At the age of three Emerson amazed her family by sitting down to the piano and imitating a tune she had heard one of her elders play. From that time on until she began the study of music at five, she played by ear. She was so gifted and so full of music that her teacher had difficulty getting her attention fixed on the notes, for Emerson thought it was much more fun playing by ear.

During her girlhood days Emerson was identified with everything musical in her home town. She played for all school affairs, dancing classes, glee clubs, the orchestra, musicales and operettas. On Sunday she played for the church and choir. On week nights, she was pianist at the local theater. She studied voice, organ, piano and harmony at the Lawrence Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Then Emerson came to Chicago to continue her study of music at the American Conservatory of music and at the Columbia School of music. Later she studied with Ralph Waldo Emerson, the man she was to marry.

Together, Elsie Mae and Ralph came to WLS in 1925 as alternate organists. During the years that have passed, listeners have thrilled to the music of these two artists.

Working together in their mutual interest of music, each realized that they had so much in common that life without the other would not be complete. One of the outstanding events of the station's early days was the wedding of Elsie Mae and Ralph which took place before the microphones in the Sherman Hotel on April 9, 1925.

Two sons have brought added happiness to the Emerson home. Ralph Waldo Emerson Jr. (Skippy) was born on June 5, 1930, and little John Skinner Emerson (Jackie) was born on Halloween 1935.

According to Ralph, Elsie Mae is not only a fine musician but she is a splendid cook. In these modern days of bake shops, Elsie Mae bakes all the bread the family uses.

There is nothing Emerson enjoys as much as going swimming. She loves the great outdoors and though her home is in the heart of a great city, the farther away from civlization she can get, the happier she is.

She stands four feet, 11 1/2 inches and tips the scales at just 100 pounds. She has brown eyes and softly waving auburn hair. She was born in Kaukana, Wisconsin, November 18.

Jack Holden in Stand By, April 10, 1947

Old Time Radio · Elsie Mae Emerson · Ralph Waldo Emerson · Music · WLS · Chicago ·

2025/01/01 · Link