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Mr. Rufus Wonder, began singing at an early age. in church, vaudevilles, and little theater groups.
Born in Bossier City, Louisiana, raised by his great uncle, and aunt::: Henry & Mary Booker, in Benton, Louisiana. His great uncle Henry, died when he was 10 years old.
Rufus and his great aunt Mary, left Louisiana, and moved to California when he was at the age of 12.
They lived in Oakland, with his other great Uncle & Aunt::: Rahllie, and Lillie
Mae Smith, for a short time, then they moved to Fresno, California. Rufus graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in Fresno.
In high school, he sang in the senior choir, and was a high jumper on the track team. He performed in the West Coast Relays, the California
Invitational a number of times,
he was also in the high school Cadets. Rufus attended Edison Jr. & Senior High, in Fresno before attending Roosevelt High.
After graduating from high school, he lived in Los Angeles, until he decided to go into the Navy.
 In the Navy, he formed a singing group called the Blenders.
The members of the group were Aaron Fusilier, Vernon Mallett, Willie Davis, and Mathew R.
Breckenridge (a.k.a. Rufus Wonder).
Rufus Wonder & The Blenders performed over seas in the special services. In the far
east, they performed in, Okinawa, Yokuska, in Japan, and in the South Pacific in
The Bikini Atolls, they performed for the Atomic Energy Commission, where there were
Admirals, Generals, and many other important VIP’s, were present, also the president of
the United States, was also, in the audience.
In Hawaii, At Pearl Harbor, and in Honolulu, and on many air craft carriers, especially on
the Badoeing
Strait CVE 116, where Rufus and a friend had a 15 minute
television show once a week where they would broadcast on board, and to other ships at
sea, in the area.
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