Big Bill Bissonnette facts for kids
Big Bill Bissonnette (born February 5, 1937 – died June 26, 2018) was an American musician. He played the trombone and drums, and also produced jazz music. He was a big supporter of a style of jazz called New Orleans jazz, especially the music played by older African-American musicians.
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Early Life and Music
Big Bill Bissonnette was born in 1937. He loved jazz music from a young age. In the 1960s, he started his own jazz band called the Easy Riders Jazz Band. This band became very well-known for playing classic jazz tunes.
Starting His Own Record Label
Bissonnette also created his own record company, which he named Jazz Crusade. Through this label, he helped many talented jazz musicians record their music. He produced over 100 jazz albums for Jazz Crusade. He also played trombone or drums on more than 50 of these recordings.
Helping Other Musicians
Big Bill Bissonnette was passionate about sharing New Orleans jazz with more people. He helped organize tours for famous jazz artists like Kid Thomas Valentine, George Lewis, and Jim Robinson. This allowed them to play their music in different parts of the country. He even helped bring British musician Sammy Rimington to the United States.
Collaborations and Recognition
Throughout his career, Bissonnette played with many jazz legends. Some of the musicians he worked with include Alvin Alcorn, Red Allen, Jimmy Archey, Polo Barnes, Albert Burbank, Alex Bigard, Don Ewell, Pops Foster, George Guesnon, Edmond Hall, Bob Helm, Tuba Fats Lacen, George Lewis, Fred Lonzo, Alcide Pavageau, George Probert, Kid Sheik, Zutty Singleton, Victoria Spivey, Gregg Stafford, Michael White, and Kid Thomas Valentine.
In 1965, Big Bill Bissonnette was recognized as a top new artist in the Jazzology Jazz Poll. Many years later, in the same poll, he was ranked among the top five jazz trombonists. This shows how much his talent was appreciated over time.
Later Career and Legacy
After taking a break from music, Bissonnette returned in the 1990s. He wrote a book about his experiences called The Jazz Crusade. He also started his record label, Jazz Crusade, again and began playing music once more.
Documenting British Jazz
In the 1990s, Big Bill Bissonnette focused on recording and sharing the jazz music scene in Britain. He created a special album series called "Best of the Brits." This helped to preserve and promote the work of British jazz musicians.
Big Bill Bissonnette retired in 2006. He passed away in June 2018 at the age of 81. He is remembered for his dedication to New Orleans jazz, his own musical talents, and his efforts to support other musicians and share their music with the world.
