William James "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and their first recording.

How did Count Basie die?

Count Basie, the jazz pianist whose spare, economic keyboard style and supple rhythmic drive made his orchestra one of the most influential groups of the Big Band era, died of cancer yesterday morning at Doctors' Hospital in Hollywood, Fla. He was 79 years old and lived in Freeport, the Bahamas.

When did Count Basie Diane die?

He's survived by his disabled daughter, Diane, who was allegedly the victim of a robbery at the hands of her late father's friend. Basie was married in two occasions, first to Vivian Lee Winn from 1930 to 1935, and later to Catherine Morgan, from 1940 until her death in 1983.

Why was Count Basie called Count?

The new band billed itself as Count Basie and his Cherry Blossom Orchestra, marking the first time that “Count” was officially added to his name. Though stories abound at the genesis of his nickname, Basie later recalled it as a tribute to his penchant for slipping off during arranging sessions with Moten.

Was Count Basie married?

He quickly made a name for himself playing the piano at local venues and parties around town until he moved to New York City in search of greater opportunities. After a decade-long courtship, Basie married dancer Catherine Morgan, his second wife, on his birthday in 1942. They had one daughter, Diane, in 1944.

ABC World News Tonight feature on death of Count Basie on April 26, 1984

What happened to Count Basie daughter?

Basie gave up her career to care for their daughter, who was mentally retarded, and their two adopted sons. She died in 1983.

Why was Count Basie so successful?

A pianist, Count Basie played vaudeville before eventually forming his own big band and helping to define the era of swing with hits like "One O'Clock Jump" and "Blue Skies." In 1958, Basie became the first African American male recipient of a Grammy Award.

When was Count Basie born and died?

Count Basie, byname of William Basie, (born August 21, 1904, Red Bank, New Jersey, U.S.—died April 26, 1984, Hollywood, Florida), American jazz musician noted for his spare, economical piano style and for his leadership of influential and widely heralded big bands.

Who was Count Basie first wife?

Catherine Basie, wife of Count Basie, the jazz musician and band leader, died of a heart attack yesterday at the couple's home in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, according to Mr. Basie's agent. She was 67 years old.

When did Count Basie start playing the piano?

He quickly learned to improvise music appropriate to the acts and the silent movies. Though a natural at the piano, Basie preferred drums. Discouraged by the obvious talents of Sonny Greer, who also lived in Red Bank and became Duke Ellington's drummer in 1919, Basie switched to piano exclusively at age 15.

How did the bands of Count Basie and Duke Ellington differ?

How did the bands of Count Basie and Duke Ellington differ? The Basie band was looser and had a more relaxed swing feeling. Ellington was a composer who played piano, but he really used the band as his expressive instrument.

Who gave Count Basie first piano lesson?

After automobiles replaced horses, his father became a groundskeeper and handyman for several families in the area. His mother, a piano player who gave Basie his first piano lessons, took in laundry and baked cakes for sale and paid 25 cents a lesson for piano instruction for him.

Who was the star saxophonist in the Basie band?

Frank Wess, who helped popularize the flute as a jazz instrument in the 1950s and '60s with the Count Basie Orchestra, where he was also a standout saxophone soloist, died on Wednesday in Manhattan. He was 91.

How did Count Basie became famous?

He was the arbiter of the big-band swing sound and his unique style of fusing blues and jazz established swing as a predominant music style. Basie changed the jazz landscape and shaped mid-20th century popular music, duly earning the title “King of Swing” because he made the world want to dance.

Was Miles Davis a big band leader?

Grammy Award winner Miles Davis was a major force in the jazz world, as both a trumpet player and a bandleader.

What was Billy Strayhorn's last composition?

Strayhorn renamed and finished writing this piece, originally titled "Blue Cloud," while under treatment for esophageal cancer in 1967; tragically, it became the last composition he ever wrote.

What is one of the names of a dance bands lead by Count Basie?

The Count Basie Orchestra is a 16 to 18 piece big band, one of the most prominent jazz performing groups of the swing era, founded by Count Basie in 1935 and recording regularly from 1936.

Which tenor saxophonist was Lester Young's first musical rival in the Basie band?

In 1933, Young settled in Kansas City, where after playing briefly in several bands, he rose to prominence with Count Basie. His playing in the Basie band was characterized by a relaxed style which contrasted sharply with the more forceful approach of Coleman Hawkins, the dominant tenor sax player of the day.

What was Benny Goodman's band within a band?

The "band-within-a-band" concept might be traced all the way back to a landmark 1924 Paul Whiteman concert, which featured a small group playing the music of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, but its most significant pioneer was clarinetist Benny Goodman.