Bill Douglass
| Bill Douglass | |
|---|---|
| Born |
February 28, 1923 Sherman, Texas, United States |
| Died | December 19, 1994 |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Drum kit |
| Associated acts |
June Christy Benny Goodman Lena Horne Ben Webster |
William "Bill" Douglass (1923–December 19, 1994) was an |American jazz drummer born in Sherman, Texas. Douglass relocated to Los Angeles when he was six months old, becoming in his adulthood a popular Los Angeles musician who worked shows and sessions. Douglass provided drums for notable instrumentalists like Benny Goodman and Ben Webster, as well as providing backing for vocalists such as Lena Horne and June Christy. He was also known for his work in the American Federation of Musicians, where he was an active proponent of desegregation. He held offices in local unions both before and after their racial integration.
Six months after Douglass was born in Sherman, Texas, his extended family relocated to Los Angeles in an effort to escape Jim Crow laws. A member of a musical family, Douglass took an early interest in music. He cited as a pivotal moment in his life when he first heard Benny Goodman's drummer Gene Krupa performing "Sing, Sing, Sing" on the radio, when he realized, "That's what I had to do. That's all there was to it." Douglass met and befriended Dexter Gordon while attending McKinley Junior High School in Los Angeles, at which point he first began playing drums. At Jefferson High School, both Douglass and Gordon began taking band under teacher Lloyd Reese, who encouraged the rudiments and private instruction. Though a drummer, Douglass took private keyboard instructions, which he credited with helping him to understand how the various instruments in an ensemble relate. Douglass never took private drum lessons, but eventually made the acquaintance of Cab Calloway drummer Cozy Cole, who used to allow Douglass to watch him practice. Douglass learned a lot watching Cole and other drummers, who gradually helped him evolve a style of his own.
...
Wikipedia