Musician and politician Vic Meyers was born in Minnesota in 1897. He was the fifteenth of sixteen children and went on to become one of Seattle’s most popular bandleaders in the 1920s and 1930s. Meyers’ love of music was inspired by his pianist mother and he learned to play multiple instruments as a youth.

After his family moved to Oregon, Meyers began his professional career as a musician playing drums in a band in Seaside. He eventually started his own ten-piece ensemble, toured the country and was signed by Brunswick Records. His band took up residence first at Seattle’s Trianon Ballroom, and later at the Rose Room in the Butler Hotel. The band did radio broadcasts heard up and down the Pacific Coast and eventually Meyers opened his own club, the Club Victor, on 4th Avenue in the Denny Regrade.

In 1932 Vic Meyers and some of his buddies at The Seattle Times newspaper decided it would be fun and great publicity if Meyers joined that year’s mayoral race in Seattle. Michael Hood of Historylink.org wrote about the campaign in 2007:

“With the help of the wags at the Times, Meyers cooked up gags, publicity stunts, and comically staged photos, and proposed outrageous policies, all of which never failed to make the front page and became the legendary "Clown Prince of Politics" of Seattle political lore.
His most famous stunt was when the candidates were invited to speak three days before the primary at a Shrine Club luncheon at the Olympic Hotel, Meyers arrived in robes in the style of Mahatma Gandhi, wearing a top hat and leading a rented goat. There were stories in Variety and Time magazine; and famous band leader Guy Lombardo, wrote "Here's to Seattle and its next mayor, Vic Meyers."
"I won't tell any lies about my opponent," Meyers said, "if he won't tell the truth about me." He proposed putting hostesses on the city's streetcars and appointing a City Gigolo. To prove he was against waste, he suggested putting flower boxes around the fire hydrants so as not to waste any water that dripped out.“

As part of the campaign the Times ran the accompanying photograph of Meyers with actress Laura LaPlante who became his campaign manager. Eventually Meyers decided to take politics more seriously and was elected Lieutenant Governor later in 1932, a post he held for twenty years. In 1956 he was elected Washington Secretary of State and held that position for eight years. Vic Meyers passed away in 1991.

Here is a link to Vic Meyers and his Orchestra from a 1924 recording:

"WEARY BLUES"