Cato's Vagabonds was a popular Midwestern dance band during the 1920s and 1930s. Formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1921, the group drew large crowds in its region, rivaling Lawrence Welk. Originally a six-piece orchestra they later expanded to ten and included a female vocalist, Nedra Gordonier. Their popularity increased in 1926 when they were broadcast on radio station WOAW in Omaha, Nebraska.
Though they mainly stayed within their region the group did travel long distance on occasion, with trips to Georgia, Florida, and New York, where they played the Roseland Ballroom in 1928. The Vagabonds were led by Cato Mann, though Lester Rhode fronted the group. Mann disbanded the orchestra in 1936.