From the Frisco Cricket article Yerba Buena Tuba by Hal Smith, Summer 1998

Squire Girsback (1913-1983)

Squire Girsback (1913-1983) is primarily known as a string bassist, with Louis Armstrong's All Stars, Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band, Bob Wills' Texas Playboys, the El Dorado Jazz Band, Jelly Roll Jazz Band, Magnolia Jazz Band and others. But he was also one of the greatest San Francisco brass bassists (playing sousaphone, rather than tuba). Girsback was associated with Watters, Scobey and Bob Helm in the Sweet's Ballroom Orchestra in the late '30s and was a frequent sub for Dick Lammi throughout the existence of the Yerba Buena Jazz Band (including their second recording date-March 29, 1942-and the YBJB recordings with Bunk Johnson, from 1943).³ On the Johnson session, and subsequent dates with Bob Scobey and Turk Murphy, Girsback doubled, demonstrating not only his superb string bass playing, but his strutting, jaunty style on sousaphone. Some good examples of Squire Girsback's great sousaphone work include Ace In The Hole (with Bunk Johnson⁴), Wang Wang Blues (Alexander's Jazz Band⁵), Irish Black Bottom (Turk Murphy⁶) and Pretty Baby (Bob Scobey⁷). Girsback played sousaphone infrequently, concentrating on string bass during most of the '50s, '60s and '70s. He returned to the brass bass after a crippling stroke in the early '80s.

Published in the The Frisco Cricket, which is available when you Join the Foundation (only $25!).