Bill Davison | |
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Wild Bill Davison, Eddie Condon's, New York, c. June 1946
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Background information | |
Birth name | William Edward Davison |
Born |
Defiance, Ohio, U.S. |
January 5, 1906
Died | November 14, 1989 Santa Barbara, California |
(aged 83)
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instruments | Cornet |
Years active | 1920s–1960s |
Labels | Blue Note |
Associated acts | Eddie Condon |
'Wild' Bill Davison (January 5, 1906, Defiance, Ohio – November 14, 1989, Santa Barbara, California) was an American jazz cornet player. He emerged in the 1920s but did not achieve recognition until the 1940s. He is best remembered for his association with bandleader Eddie Condon, with whom he worked and recorded from the mid-1940s through the 1960s. Born William Edward Davison, his nickname "Wild Bill" reflected a reputation for heavy drinking and womanizing.
The poet Philip Larkin, a fan, described his playing thus:
Richard M. Sudhalter described first seeing Wild Bill at Eddie Condon's club in New York City in the 1950s: