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Charles A. Prince

American bandleader, pianist and organist (born December 27, 1867 in San Francisco, California–died October 9, 1937 in Ross, Marin, California). Born in San Francisco, Prince served in the California National Guard from 1884-1886. By 1890, he was working in San Diego as a musician. Around 1891, he moved east and made his first recordings as a pianist in 1891 for the New York Phonograph Co. Between 1903 and 1923, Prince worked as a musical director for Columbia Records. He conducted the Columbia Orchestra and had his own ensemble, "Prince's Band and Orchestra." From 1924-1925, he briefly switched to Victor as an Associate Musical Director, but then moved back to California.