Deke Moffitt was born in Hardy Arkansas. He entered High School after his family moved to Memphis, TN. Wanting to pursue a formal music education, Deke studied at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music where he received his Bachelors degree. By the age of seventeen, he had composed some chamber music and a one-movement symphony. He wrote and put on a complete four-act opera for which included making the scenery, selling the tickets, creating the advertising and conducting the performance. He was the first student director of the Hughes High School band in Cincinnati and also conducted an opera and the Zoo Opera Ballet.
With a solid classical background, Deke decided to explore the popular commercial field. He organized his own orchestra and stepped into top Ohio locations. In a short time his band was recognized as the best society crew in the Mid-West. They played at the Beverly Hills Country Club (Northern Kentucky); Commodore Perry Hotel, Toledo; Netherland Plaza Hotel (Cincinnati); Van Cleve Hotel (Dayton); Chicken Roost in New York and in other locations.
For twelve years Deke was the musical director of Cincinnati's Albee Theater and performed as music director of all the RKO theaters in the city.
Deke also traveled on the road with his band playing important night spots and theaters with such celebrities as Martha Raye, Red Skelton, Bill (Bojangles) Robinson, Perry Como, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis and the Three Stooges. He also toured and played in many different cities with Herb Shriner and was a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (A.S.C.A.P.). He was invited to bring his talents to Paramount Studios in Hollywood, CA, but didn't pursue the invitation as he didn't feel the Hollywood environment would be a good place to raise a family.
As a composer his most famous publication was the children's song "Little Red Caboose" which was recorded on most of the major record labels. He also composed "Big Time Boogie" which was used by the Barnum and Bailey Circus in the presentation of their elephant parade. It was said by the Barnum and Bailey's musical director, Merle Evans, that the elephants paraded better to Deke's song than any other musical composition.
Deke's creative mind was always seeking ways to bring joy and laughter to those for whom he performed. Waking up one night he visioned a new musical idea. It opened the door for booms, bangs, bongs, and etc. The Little Red Caboosers were born and became the brightest, freshest comedy band in the nation.
Deke was forever plagued with railroad sounds, for his theme song "Little Red Caboose" combined all the noises of a freight train pulling in and out of a station.
It was inevitable that somehow or other Deke would get a railroad theme in his music for both of his parents were telegraph operators for the Frisco and L&N Railroad.
Deke's mother and father met while dispatching information and time schedules along the railway line. Quite a romance blossomed forth from the rudimentary messages which turned into questions, then to conversations and finally to a love-affair.
Up until the day Deke's father met his finance's family they had never seen each other. Deke's dad became one of the chief dispatchers. He later became a Baptist minister pastoring churches in Northern Kentucky and Corbin, KY. While Deke himself never concentrated on railroad work, he was able to operate a wireless machine with skill.
Deke was always known for his humor and unpredictable nature. He joked around on the bandstand and wrote songs like "The Indians Threw Rocks at Columbus." His small touring group known as "The Caboosers" played throughout the United States and entertained many dignitaries.
With his group, nothing was ever rehearsed. Each member of the group did whatever came naturally. Not even Deke knew what would happen next. Consequently, there was always a "freshness" in their entertainment. Nothing ever got old. Humor and fun was their goal and audiences loved it.
While their comedy antics dominated the Caboosers' style, Deke always maintained a high degree of dance music that kept everyone happy. A finely balanced menu of fun and dancing made Deke Moffitt and his Little Red Caboosers favorites of entertainment-seekers everywhere.
