The atmosphere was electric at Union Station. Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians (a.k.a. Lombardo’s brothers: Carmen, Victor, and Lambert—the band was a family affair) were touring to New Orleans for the first time, for a two-week engagement, and on May 3, 1934, a throng of welcomers assembled in anticipation of their train’s arrival.

Despite being nationally Canadian, the Lombardos were ethnically Italian, and New Orleans’s sizable Italian community was excited to have such high-profile Italian entertainers come to the city. From the moment the Lombardos stepped off the train, they were met with a flurry of activity.