Betty Crow Collection

Milt Abel and Tommy Ruskin performing at Fedora's Café & Bar in the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri. Abel is playing bass while singing into a microphone. Ruskin is playing drums and is...

Milt Abel at an outdoor party at Betty Crow's house. Abel is playing a bass behind a microphone stand. He is looking up with a neutral expression. Sonny Kenner is standing off camera on the right.

Milt Abel performing at Jardine's on Main Street in Kansas City, Missouri. He is playing bass while looking to the side. He is on a stage in front of a wall with instruments mounted on the wall.

Milt Abel holding his bass with a covering partially on the instrument at the Levee Bar & Grill on 43rd Street in Kansas City, Missouri. Abel is wearing a hat. Most of the tables are empty. Various...

Milt Abel at the Levee Bar & Grill on 43rd Street in Kansas City, Missouri. Abel is holding a bass in one hand and leaning over toward an amplifier. Other musicians and audience are sitting in front...

Milt Abel at the Levee Bar & Grill on 43rd Street in Kansas City, Missouri. Abel is holding a bass in one hand and leaning over toward an amplifier. Other musicians and audience are sitting in front...

Milt Abel performing at the Plaza III at 4749 Pennsylvania Ave, Kansas City, Missouri. Abel is playing bass while looking down. He is wearing a tuxedo and black bowtie. There are dining tables behind...

Milt Abel singing and playing bass at the Levee Bar & Grill on 43rd Street in Kansas City, Missouri. Other people are sitting in front of the stage talking. Various pictures and trinkets are hanging...

Milt Abel's son performing at Jardine's on Main Street in Kansas City, Missouri. He is playing a piano with one hand while looking down. He is on a stage in front of a wall with large windows.

Missouri River Queen tour boat docked on the Missouri River. The boat has four decks with interior and exterior seating areas. The boat is painted white with red trim. It is docked by a white building...

Monte Musa and Al Pearson performing at Plaza III on Pennsylvania Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri. Musa is standing on the left playing guitar while holding it up. Pearson is looking up while playing...

Monty Alexander at the Topeka Jazz Festival in Topeka, Kansas. Alexander is wearing a vest and is looking to the side while grabbing a chair.

A mural depicting aspects of Mexican culture. The painting in on a large wall and portrays moments from modern and historical Mexico.

Murl Johnson holding a drum while sitting. He is wearing a dress shirt and tie, looking forward and smiling. Other unidentified musicians are standing behind Johnson.

A musician playing congas with a group of performers at night in front of a white gazebo. He is looking to the side while playing. Other musicians are playing drums, guitars, and marimbas.

Musician Union officials talking at the Local 627 headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri. Richard Smith, Ted Dreher, Wendell Brown, and Larry Phillips are standing left to right. They are wearing suits...

Musicians and friends posing for a photo at the Mutual Musicians Foundation in Kansas City, Missouri. From left to right: Jay McShann, Al Bartee, and Elsa Hart. Everyone is looking forward and smiling...

Musicians and friends posing for a photo at the Mutual Musicians Foundation in Kansas City, Missouri. From left to right: Ben Kynard, Elsa Hart, Al Bartee, Ronnie McFadden, Betty Crow, Jay McShann...

Musicians and guests at a house party. David Daahoud Williams is playing bass next to an unidentified man playing piano. People are sitting in front watching them perform. The musicians are in a...

Musicians speaking at a forum on the Floating Jazz Festival Cruise. Six men are sitting in chairs. The man second from left is talking into a microphone. Everyone is sitting in front of dark curtains.

Musicians speaking at a forum on the Floating Jazz Festival Cruise. Six men are sitting in chairs. The men second and third from left are talking into a microphone. Everyone is sitting in front of...

Musicians speaking at a forum on the Floating Jazz Festival Cruise. Four men are sitting in chairs. The man on the left is talking into a microphone. Everyone is sitting in front of dark curtains.

Musicians speaking at a forum on the Floating Jazz Festival Cruise. Six men are sitting in chairs. The man second from left is talking into a microphone. Everyone is sitting in front of dark curtains.

Two musicians speaking at a forum on the Floating Jazz Festival Cruise. One man is standing and speaking into a microphone. The other is sitting in a cushioned chair.

Musicians at a rehearsal at an unidentified venue. Everyone is sitting in a circle playing trumpet, saxophone, trombone, electric bass, and guitar. Dean Stringer is standing and looking down at music...