Jack Teagarden | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Weldon Leo "Jack" Teagarden |
Also known as | Mr. T |
Origin | Vernon, Texas |
Genres | Swing Jazz Blues |
Instrument(s) | trombone, vocalist |
Years active | 1927-1964 |
Jack Teagarden (August 29, 1905—January 15, 1964), a.k.a. Mr. T,
Early life
edit- Jack Teagarden was born August 29, 1905 in Vernon, Texas[1] and took an early interest in music. He began playing piano at age five, baritone saxophone at age seven, and trombone at age ten. In 1918 his family moved to Chappell, Nebraska. There he began performing at local theaters with his mother (a ragtime pianist).[2]
Career
edit- Peck Kelley
From 1921 to 1923 he played with Peck Kelley's Bad Boys and also performed in various territory bands.
- Doc Ross Jazz Bandits
In 1923 he married Ora Binyon in Texas and also joined the Doc Ross Jazz Bandits—a group which operated out of Wichita Falls.
- Johnny Johnson's Statler Pennsylvanians
Teagarden made his recording debut in 1927 with Johnny Johnson's Statler Pennsylvanians.
- Billy Lustig
In 1928 Teagarden moved to New York and performed with Billy Lustig's Scranton Sirens at the Roseland Ballroom.
- Ben Pollack & Paul Whiteman
From 1928 to 1933 he played trombone with Ben Pollack and, in 1934, signed a five-year contract with Paul Whiteman.[2]
- Teagarden Orchestra
At the end of his contract with Whiteman in 1939, Teagarden formed his own big band. His orchestra never had any hits and the band was largely overshadowed by the likes of Harry James and Glenn Miller.[3] The Teagarden Orchestra stayed together for seven years and called it quits in 1946, coinciding with Teagarden himself filing for bankruptcy.[1] His friend Bing Crosby wrote him a check for six-hundred dollars to help with his debts and Teagarden headed for New York in March 1947, where he planned to restart his career.
Notes
editReferences
edit- Yanow, Scott (2001). Classic Jazz: The Musicians and Recordings That Shaped Jazz, 1895-1933. San Francisco, CA: Backbeat Books. ISBN 0879306599.
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(help) - Yanow, Scott (2003). Jazz on Record: The First Sixty Years. San Francisco, CA: Backbeat Books. ISBN 0879307552.
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(help) - Yanow, Scott (2000). Swing: Third Ear--The Essential Listening Companion. San Francisco, CA: Backbeat Books. ISBN 0879306009.
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(help)
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. --> | NAME = | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH = August 20, 1905 | PLACE OF BIRTH = | DATE OF DEATH = January 15, 1964 | PLACE OF DEATH = }} [[Category:1905 births]] [[Category:1964 deaths]]