Viola Smith was a drummer/actress, known for Frances Carroll & 'The Coquettes' (1940), When Johnny Comes Marching Home (1942) and The Girls in the Band (2011).

On November 29, 2012, Zildjian’s longest running endorser, Viola Smith celebrated her 100th birthday. Anyone who watched entertainment reels in the 1930s and '40s might know Viola. A musical pioneer, she was one of the first female professional drummers, gaining popularity during World War II.

Viola was born in Mount Calvary, WI, the 8th in a line of 10 children; she and all her siblings were encouraged to be musical by her father, who put together an orchestra consisting of the eight sisters. Her family owned one of Mount Calvary's first restaurant/dance halls in the early 1900’s and not only did the girls perform there, it was one of the stops for many first rate musicians and Viola got front row seats and learned from the best. By the time she was 12, her dad had gotten permission from the local union for the underage girls to travel the circuit. The Schmitz Sisters (later becoming the Smith Sisters) fast became a favorite on the RKO circuit, even sharing the bill with The Andrews Sisters.

From 1938 to 1941 Viola flourished in a highly acclaimed all female band that she and her sister Mildred organized, called The Coquettes. The Coquettes were so successful, and she as their drummer so popular, that Viola and her drum set graced the cover of Billboard Magazine on 24 February 1940. When the group disbanded, in 1942, Viola accepted an invitation to become the drummer of an affluent WWII era band, Phil Spitalny’s Hour of Charm Orchestra - one of the few all girl bands to ever record in those days. With an emphasis on both glamorous style and musical substance, Viola remained with the orchestra until 1954.

During those years, Viola also found herself performing in feature films with Abbott & Costello and Allan Jones, as the percussionist with the National Symphony Orchestra, performing with Chick Webb and Ella Fitzgerald, performing her own "Drum Concertos", and even turning down dates with Frank Sinatra on more than one occasion! Rather than join Woody Herman’s big band, Viola preferred to work as a regular drummer with a band, and through the 60’s Viola’s career turned to Broadway, where she was a member of the "Kit Kat Club’s" all girl band in the show Cabaret with Joel Grey.

In 1942, Viola was known as the "Female Gene Krupa" for the way she would hurl her drumstick onto her drum, then jump up in the air and catch it as it bounced. She was also billed as America’s "fastest girl drummer" and the "famous girl drummer". But being a musician in an all girl band in those days was considered only a "temporary" job - female musicians were "swing shift Maisies", like Rosie the Riveter - substitutes for the real thing - men. While the men were at war, they filled in. The all girl bands were considered patriotic, temporary musical groups meant to entertain the soldiers. Said Viola, ''The men felt like: Girl musicians, what are they doing on the road? It's a male job.''

Viola says that female drummers today have it much easier. Though she just about had the field to herself for a while, she, along with innumerable female musicians of the WWII era helped to forge a remarkable legacy. "Before World War II there was great prejudice," Viola said. "The war overcame it to an extent. They could finally see what girl musicians could do. When World War II broke out, female musicians started to be taken more seriously. They were finally given a chance."

Given a chance in part because just weeks after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Viola published an article in Down Beat Magazine, called ''Give Girl Musicians a Break!'' She wrote, "In these times of national emergency, many of the star instrumentalists of the big name bands are being drafted. Instead of replacing them with what may be mediocre talent, why not let some of the great girl musicians of the country take their place?'' She challenged perceptions about the true ability of women musicians. This caused quite a ruckus and gave women everywhere the courage to not only be seen but to be heard!

Viola never married; instead she gave her life and love to music and to the people who played it. Until recently she taught drums, and she still works part time at a store in Costa Mesa, California.

Suffering from Alzheimer's disease, Viola Smith died on October 21, 2020, at her home in Costa Mesa, California - 107 years old.