Dr. Hepcat facts for kids

Albert Lavada Durst (born January 12, 1913 – died October 31, 1995) was a cool American musician. He was known as Dr. Hepcat. He played the blues piano and sang. Dr. Hepcat was also a baseball commentator. He became the first black radio DJ in Texas. He helped make rhythm and blues and rock and roll music very popular.

Early Life and Music

Albert was born in Austin, Texas. He started playing piano when he was young. He learned to play a lively style of blues music. This style was called "barrelhouse" blues. He also became very good at "jive talk." This was a cool, rhythmic way of speaking. His talent helped him become an announcer for Negro league baseball games in Austin.

Becoming Dr. Hepcat

A radio station manager named John Connally heard Albert. Connally later became the Governor of Texas. With help from the station owner, Jake Pickle, Albert got a job. In 1948, he became the station's baseball commentator. He also became their first black disc jockey.

Albert called himself "Dr. Hepcat." His unique way of speaking made him very popular. Both white and black listeners loved his shows. The Texas State Historical Association said he helped many white listeners discover jazz, blues, and rhythm and blues music. Jake Pickle said that Dr. Hepcat had his own special language. Many people listened to baseball games just to hear him. He was a great entertainer and became famous in Austin.

Music and Writing

Dr. Hepcat also recorded music for Uptown Records. This record label was owned by Fred Caldwell. He also managed a gospel music group called the Charlottes. Dr. Hepcat wrote a gospel song called "Let's Talk About Jesus." The Bells of Joy sang this song.

In 1953, he published a book. It was a dictionary of jive talk. It was called The Jives of Dr. Hepcat. A magazine called Wax said in 1978 that he helped create rock'n'roll radio. He also helped bring many famous black entertainers to perform in Austin.

Later Years

Dr. Hepcat retired from radio in the early 1960s. In 1965, he became a minister. He stopped performing music for some years. But in the mid-1970s, he started playing blues again. He performed at festivals and other places.

From the mid-1940s until 1979, he also worked. He was the director of athletics. This was at the Rosewood Recreation Center in Austin. Albert Lavada Durst passed away in Austin in 1995.

See also

• Hal Jackson
• DJ Nat D.
• Daddy-O Daylie
• Yvonne Daniels
• Joseph Deighton Gibson Jr.
• Black-appeal stations
• WERD
• Glossary of jive talk
• Jive talk