Teddy Weatherford facts for kids

Teddy Weatherford (born October 11, 1903 – died April 25, 1945) was an American jazz pianist. He was very good at a special style of jazz piano called stride piano. This style uses a strong, jumping rhythm in the left hand while the right hand plays melodies.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Teddy Weatherford was born in Pocahontas, Virginia. He grew up in a nearby town called Bluefield, West Virginia. From 1915 to 1920, he lived in New Orleans, Louisiana. This city is famous for being a birthplace of jazz music. It was there that Teddy learned to play jazz piano.

After his time in New Orleans, Teddy moved to Chicago, Illinois. In the 1920s, Chicago was a major center for jazz. He played with many bands, including one led by Erskine Tate. Teddy also performed with famous jazz musicians like Louis Armstrong and Johnny Dodds. His playing even impressed a young Earl Hines, who later became a jazz legend himself.

Traveling the World with Music

Teddy Weatherford loved to travel and share his music. He first went to Amsterdam in Europe. Then, he traveled all around Asia, playing jazz professionally.

In the early 1930s, Teddy led his own band in Bombay (now called Mumbai) in India. They performed at the famous Taj Mahal Hotel. Later, he joined a band led by Crickett Smith in Jakarta, Indonesia. In 1937, Teddy took over as the leader of Smith's band while they were in Ceylon (which is now known as Sri Lanka).

Music During Wartime

During World War II, Teddy Weatherford continued to play music. He led a band in Calcutta (now called Kolkata), India. From there, he made radio broadcasts for the U. S. Armed Forces Radio Service. These broadcasts helped entertain American soldiers serving far from home.

Many talented musicians played with Teddy's band during this time. Some of them included Bridget Althea Moe, Jimmy Witherspoon, Roy Butler, and Gery Scott.

His Final Years

Sadly, Teddy Weatherford died young. He passed away from cholera in Calcutta on April 25, 1945. He was only 41 years old.