Dave Bartholomew facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dave Bartholomew
Bartholomew in 1977
Background information
Birth name	Davis Bartholomew
Also known as	David Louis Bartholomew
Born	(1918-12-24)December 24, 1918 Edgard, Louisiana, U.S.
Died	June 23, 2019(2019-06-23) (aged 100) Metairie, Louisiana, U.S.
Genres	Rhythm and blues, big band, swing, rock and roll, Dixieland
Occupation(s)	Musician, bandleader, composer, arranger
Instruments	Trumpet, tuba
Years active	1936–2019
Labels	De Luxe, Imperial, Broadmoor
Associated acts	Fats Domino
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1940–1945
Battles/wars	World War II

David Louis Bartholomew (born December 24, 1918 – died June 23, 2019) was an American musician, bandleader, songwriter, and record producer. He was a very important person in the music scene of New Orleans for many years. Dave started as a trumpet player. He played many types of music, like rhythm and blues (R&B), big band music, swing music, rock and roll, and Dixieland jazz.

When he was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, people said he was key in changing music from jump blues and swing to R&B. They called him "one of New Orleans' greatest musicians and a true pioneer in the rock and roll revolution."

Many artists have recorded songs written by Dave Bartholomew. But his work with Fats Domino led to some of his biggest hits. In the mid-1950s, they wrote over forty hit songs for Imperial Records. One of these was "Ain't That a Shame", which became a number one pop hit. Other famous songs he wrote include "I Hear You Knocking", "Blue Monday", "I'm Walkin'", "My Ding-a-Ling", and "One Night". He is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.

About Dave Bartholomew

Early Life and Army Service

Dave Bartholomew was born as Davis Bartholomew on December 24, 1918, in Edgard, Louisiana. He first learned to play the tuba, which was his father's favorite instrument. Later, he learned to play the trumpet from Peter Davis, who also taught the famous musician Louis Armstrong.

Around 1933, Dave moved to New Orleans with his parents. There, he played in local jazz and brass bands. He even played in Fats Pichon's band on a Mississippi riverboat. In 1941, he took over Pichon's band. During World War II, he joined the United States Army. While in the Army, he learned important skills in writing and arranging music for the 196th Army Ground Forces Band.

Starting His Music Career

After the war, Dave Bartholomew went back to New Orleans. By late 1945, he had started his own dance band called Dave Bartholomew and the Dew Droppers. The band was named after a popular local hotel and nightclub. His band quickly became very popular in New Orleans. People called them "the bedrock of R&B in the city." One writer said in 1946 that they "make the house 'rock'."

In 1947, Dave and his band were invited to play in Houston, Texas. There, Dave met Lew Chudd, who was the founder of Imperial Records.

Dave Bartholomew and his band made their first recordings in 1947 for De Luxe Records. Their first hit song was "Country Boy." It reached number 14 on the national Billboard R&B chart in early 1950. Some of the talented musicians in his band included saxophonists Alvin Tyler and Herb Hardesty, bass player Frank Fields, and drummer Earl Palmer.

Working with Imperial Records and Fats Domino

Fats Domino performing in Amsterdam, 1962.

A couple of years after meeting, Lew Chudd asked Dave Bartholomew to work for Imperial Records in New Orleans. Dave became an "A&R man," which means he found new artists and helped them record music. He produced Imperial's first national hits. One was "3 x 7 = 21" by Jewel King, which he also wrote. The other was "The Fat Man" by a young pianist named Fats Domino. "The Fat Man" sold over one million copies and launched Fats Domino's career. Dave's band played on both of these hit records and many more throughout the 1950s.

Dave Bartholomew's smooth and steady arrangements helped make the music so successful. Cosimo Matassa, who owned the recording studio, said that Dave was very strict about getting things done right.

Dave left Imperial Records for a short time in 1950. For two years, he recorded for other labels like Decca and Specialty. During this time, he wrote and first recorded "My Ding-a-Ling" in 1952. This song later became a huge international hit for Chuck Berry in 1972. While at Specialty, Dave also produced Lloyd Price's hit song "Lawdy Miss Clawdy," which featured Fats Domino playing piano.

After these successes, Dave Bartholomew returned to Imperial Records. He continued to work with Fats Domino, writing and producing many R&B hits together. In 1955, "Ain't That a Shame" became a pop hit, helping Fats Domino's music appeal to an even wider audience. More hits followed, like "I'm in Love Again" and "Blue Monday" (both in 1956), and "I'm Walkin'" (1957). Dave co-wrote and produced all of these. He also produced "Blueberry Hill" (1956) and "Walking to New Orleans" (1960).

Dave also wrote, arranged, and produced music for many other artists on Imperial Records. These included Smiley Lewis, for whom he wrote "I Hear You Knocking" and "One Night." These songs became hits for other musicians later on. For example, "Ain't That A Shame" was a hit for Pat Boone. "I Hear You Knocking" was a hit for Gale Storm and Dave Edmunds. "One Night" and "Witchcraft" were hits for Elvis Presley. And "I'm Walkin'" was a hit for Ricky Nelson. Sometimes, his wife, Pearl King, was also given credit for co-writing some of his songs.

Later Years and Passing

In 1963, Imperial Records was sold. Dave Bartholomew stayed in New Orleans. He worked for other record companies and even started his own label, Broadmoor Records, in 1967.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Dave led a traditional Dixieland jazz band in New Orleans. He also went on international tours with Fats Domino during this time. In 1991, he was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work behind the scenes. He released more albums in the 1990s and continued to perform at festivals.

Dave Bartholomew married Pearl King in 1942. After she passed away in 1967, he married Rhea Douse. They had four sons and one daughter. He lived in New Orleans his whole life. He celebrated his 100th birthday on Christmas Eve in 2018.

Dave Bartholomew passed away from heart failure on June 23, 2019, in Metairie, Louisiana. He was buried in New Orleans.

Hit Songs and Other Notable Works

Here are some of the songs Dave Bartholomew wrote or co-wrote, along with their original artists and how they performed on music charts. Many of these songs were also recorded by other famous musicians.

See also

In Spanish: Dave Bartholomew para niños

• New Orleans rhythm and blues