Lillian Truss

Lillian Truss at the console of the Alabama Theatre's Mighty Wurlitzer.

Lillian Truss was the first organist to perform on the Alabama Theater's "Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ".

That first public performance took place on December 25, 1927, during a preview show at the theater. Truss also performed on December 26 grand opening night, but was not permitted to bring the organ to solo position. That privilege was reserved for the Alabama's inaugural house organist Joe Alexander. For as long as Alexander held that title, Truss could only bring the Wurlitzer to "picture level" — high enough for her to see the silent films she accompanied on-screen but low enough that neither she nor the console obstructed the view of patrons in the premium seats on the first three or four rows of the auditorium.

In family lore and among members of the Alabama chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society (ATOS), Truss is consistently referred to as the first organist of the Alabama Theatre and the second house organist. She was the official house organist from January 8, 1928 to March 4, 1929, when she was succeeded by Lee Erwin.

Prior to December 1927, Truss was employed at the Ensley Theatre and was a featured organist at the Strand Theatre.

She returned to the Alabama in the 1970s and played an occasional Sunday morning concert hosted by ATOS.