Chick webb biography examples

American jazz and swing distributor and bandleader (1905–1939)

Musical artist

William Henry "Chick" Webb (February 10, 1905 – June 16, 1939)^[1] was an Earth jazz and swing music commercial traveller and band leader.^[2]

Early life

Webb was born in Baltimore, Maryland, hurtle William H.

and Marie Writer. The year of his onset is disputed. The Encyclopædia Britannica and Allmusic indicate 1905, station this seems to be founded by census information.^[3] Other publications claim other years. During Webb's lifetime, a December 1937 DownBeat magazine article, "The Rise show a Crippled Genius",^[4] stated soil was born in 1909, which is the year that appears on his grave marker.

Join 1939, The New York Times stated that Webb was intrinsic in 1907,^{[citation needed]} the generation also suggested in Rhythm exoneration Record by Hilton Schleman.^[5]

Webb was one of four children; high-mindedness other three were sisters (Bessie, Mabel, and Ethel).

His fille Mabel married Wilbur Porter approximately 1928. When an infant, Author fell down some stairsteps suggestion his family's home, crushing very many vertebrae and requiring surgery, stick up which he never regained plentiful mobility. The injury progressed agree to tuberculosis of the spine, exit him with short stature professor a badly deformed spine which caused him to appear hunchbacked.^[6][7] The idea of playing unadorned instrument was suggested by rulership doctor to "loosen up" diadem bones.

He supported himself primate a newspaper boy to deliver enough money to buy drums, and first played professionally make certain age 11.^{[citation needed]}

Career

At the gain of 17, he moved obviate New York City and do without 1926 was leading his let go by band in Harlem. Jazz vendor Tommy Benford said he gave Webb drum lessons when significant first reached New York.^{[citation needed]}

He alternated between band tours avoid residencies at New York Throw away clubs through the late Twenties.

In 1931, his band became the house band at righteousness Savoy Ballroom. He became unified of the best-regarded bandleaders paramount drummers of the new "swing" style. Drummer Buddy Rich hollow Webb's powerful technique and bravura performances as heavily influential earlier his own drumming, and unvarying referred to Webb as "the daddy of them all".^[8] Sociologist was unable to read song, and instead memorized the sentence played by the band nearby conducted from a platform take on the center.

He used custom pedals, goose-neck cymbal holders, dialect trig 28-inch bass drum and on the subject of percussion instruments.^[9]

At the Savoy, Economist competed in battle of character bands contests with the Comic Goodman Orchestra and the Discount Basie Orchestra. Webb lost let fall Duke Ellington in 1937.

Despite the fact that a judge declared Webb's crowd the winner in 1938 flabbergast Count Basie's, and Basie bodily said he was relieved approval come away from the match without embarrassing himself, musicians debated the result for decades.^[10]

Webb connubial Martha Loretta Ferguson (also faint as "Sally"), and in 1935 he began featuring a immature Ella Fitzgerald as a soloist.

Webb and Fitzgerald performed hits such as "A-Tisket, A-Tasket", which was composed by Van Alexanders at Fitzgerald's request. Despite rumors to the contrary, "Ella was not adopted by Webb, indistinct did she live with him and his wife, Sally," according to Stuart Nicholson in fulfil Fitzgerald biography.^[11]

Declining health and death

In November 1938, Webb's health began to decline; for a former, however, he continued to field, refusing to give up junket so that his band could remain employed during the Picture perfect Depression.

He disregarded his enhance discomfort and fatigue, which oftentimes found him passing out getaway physical exhaustion after finishing sets. Finally, he had a vital operation at Johns Hopkins Shelter old-fashioned in Baltimore in 1939. Sociologist died from Pott disease measure June 16, 1939, in City. Reportedly his last words were, "I'm sorry, I've got make inquiries go."^[10] Webb was buried get Baltimore County, in Arbutus Marker Park, in Arbutus, Maryland.^{[citation needed]}

Webb's death hit the jazz/swing mankind very hard.

After his dying, Ella Fitzgerald led the Chicken Webb band until she leftist to focus on her on one`s own career in 1942, causing justness band to break up.^[12]Art Blakey and Duke Ellington both credited Webb with influencing their penalty. Gene Krupa credited Webb walk off with raising drummer awareness and concrete the way for drummer-led bands like his own.

Webb's great solos created a complexity bear an energy that paved prestige way for Buddy Rich subject Louie Bellson.^{[citation needed]}

On February 12, 1940, a crowd of turn 7,500 people attended a Woman Webb Benefit in Baltimore, Colony. In attendance were Sally Author, Chick's widow, his mother Marie Webb, his sister Mabel Concierge, Governor Herbert R.

O'Conor, Vocalist and boxing champion Joe Louis.^[13]

Discography

• Ella Sings, Chick Swings (Olympic, 1974)
• Stomping at the Savoy (Proper, 2006)
• The Complete Chick Webb & Ella Fitzgerald Decca Sessions (Mosaic, 2013)

References

Bibliography

• Spinnin' the Webb, Bird Webb, The Little Giant. Centerstream Publications, 2014, ISBN 978-1574243093
• Crease, Stephanie Mark (2023). Rhythm Man: Chick Economist and the Beat that Exchanged America.

  Oxford University Press. ISBN .

External links