Will Bradley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Will Bradley
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Will Bradley in a 1942 advertisement
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Wilbur Schwichtenberg |
| Born | July 12, 1912 Newton, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | July 15, 1989 (aged 77) Flemington, New Jersey |
| Genres | Big band, boogie-woogie |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Trombone |
Wilbur Schwichtenberg (born July 12, 1912 – died July 15, 1989) was an American musician. He was known as Will Bradley in his professional life. Will Bradley was a talented trombonist and a leader of a music band. He became famous in the 1930s and 1940s. He played popular styles like swing, dance music, and boogie-woogie. Many of his songs were written by Don Raye.
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Will Bradley's Music Journey
Will Bradley was born in Newton, New Jersey. He grew up in Washington, New Jersey. In 1928, he moved to New York City. There, he joined several music groups. One of these was Red Nichols & His Five Pennies. During the 1930s, he worked as a studio musician for CBS. This meant he played music for recordings and broadcasts. He also spent a year playing with the Ray Noble orchestra.
Starting a Big Band
In 1939, Will Bradley started his own big band. He teamed up with Ray McKinley, a drummer and singer from Texas. At this time, he also changed his name from Schwichtenberg to Will Bradley. His band had many skilled musicians. Some of them were Freddie Slack, Arthur Rollini, and Peanuts Hucko. The band also featured several singers. These included Terry Allen and Ray McKinley himself.
Boogie-Woogie Hits
The Will Bradley band became very well known for its boogie-woogie music. Boogie-woogie is a lively style of piano-based blues. Their song "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar" was a huge hit. It reached the top ten on Billboard magazine's music charts. Other popular songs included "Scrub Me Mama with a Boogie Beat" and "Down the Road a Piece". The song "Down the Road a Piece" was recorded by the Will Bradley Trio. This trio included McKinley, Slack, and Doc Goldberg. The songwriter Don Raye also sang on this track.
Changes in the Band
In 1942, Ray McKinley left the band. He wanted to start his own music group. Will Bradley then brought in new musicians. These included trumpeter Shorty Rogers and drummer Shelly Manne. However, many band members had to join the military. This was because of the draft during World War II. Because of this, the band eventually broke up. After this, Will Bradley spent the rest of his career writing classical music. He composed pieces for orchestras and smaller groups.
Later Life and Passing
Will Bradley passed away on July 15, 1989. He was 77 years old. He died in Flemington, New Jersey, just three days after his birthday.
Radio Appearances
Will Bradley was also a band leader for a radio show. In 1941, he led the band for the Summer Silver Theater on CBS. The famous host Ed Sullivan was the presenter for this show.
Music Albums
Here are some of the albums Will Bradley released or contributed to:
- Boogie-Woogie (Epic, 1954)
- Jazz Encounter (Waldorf Music Hall, 1955)
- Jazz – Dixieland and Chicago Style (Waldorf Music Hall, 1955)
- 1941 (Circle, 1986)
With Ruth Brown
- Ruth Brown (Atlantic, 1957)
With Charlie Parker
- Big Band (Clef, 1954)
