What appears to be the earliest use of this popular band name is connected with the multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Percy Nelson of Hartford, CT. He put his first version of the Night Hawks together in the late '20s, working from the rostrum of musicians available in both New York City and his home turf. The group held forth at the Hotel Bond for 18 months but was also known as a touring outfit, hitting dance events in New England, Canada, and Pennsylvania.