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cited Webb's powerful technique and virtuoso performances as heavily influential on his own drumming, and even referred to Webb as "the daddy of them all". Webb was unable to read music, and instead memorized the arrangements played by the band and conducted from a platform in the center. He used
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Webb was one of four children; the other three were sisters (Bessie, Mabel, and Ethel). His sister Mabel married Wilbur Porter around 1928. When an infant, Webb fell down some stairsteps in his family's home, crushing several vertebrae and requiring surgery, from which he never regained full
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which caused him to appear hunchbacked. The idea of playing an instrument was suggested by his doctor to "loosen up" his bones. He supported himself as a newspaper boy to save enough money to buy drums, and first played professionally at age 11.
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in 1937. Although a judge declared Webb's band the winner in 1938 over Count Basie's, and Basie himself said he was relieved to come away from the contest without embarrassing himself, musicians debated the result for decades.
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On
February 12, 1940, a crowd of about 7,500 people attended a Chick Webb Benefit in Baltimore, Maryland. In attendance were Sally Webb, Chick's widow, his mother Marie Webb, his sister Mabel Porter, Governor
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credited Webb with raising drummer awareness and paving the way for drummer-led bands like his own. Webb's thundering solos created a complexity and an energy that paved the way for
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In
November 1938, Webb's health began to decline; for a time, however, he continued to play, refusing to give up touring so that his band could remain employed during the
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on June 16, 1939, in
Baltimore. Reportedly his last words were, "I'm sorry, I've got to go." Webb was buried in Baltimore County, in Arbutus Memorial Park, in
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at
Fitzgerald's request. Despite rumors to the contrary, "Ella was not adopted by Webb, nor did she live with him and his wife, Sally," according to
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He alternated between band tours and residencies at New York City clubs through the late 1920s. In 1931, his band became the house band at the
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magazine article, "The Rise of a
Crippled Genius", stated he was born in 1909, which is the year that appears on his grave marker. In 1939,
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led the Chick Webb band until she left to focus on her solo career in 1942, causing the band to break up.
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Webb married Martha
Loretta Ferguson (also known as "Sally"), and in 1935 he began featuring a teenaged
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custom-made pedals, goose-neck cymbal holders, a 28-inch bass drum and other percussion instruments.
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information. Other publications claim other years. During Webb's lifetime, a
December 1937
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At the age of 17, he moved to New York City and by 1926 was leading his own band in
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431:"You Don't Know Jazz! With Dr. Lewis Porter: Chick Webb | WBGO Jazz 88.3FM"
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Jazz: A Film By Ken Burns, 2000. Documentary miniseries. Directed by Ken Burns
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Rhythm on Record: Who's Who and
Register of Recorded Dance Music, 1906/1936
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228:. He became one of the best-regarded bandleaders and drummers of the new "
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Webb's death hit the jazz/swing community very hard. After his death,
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At the Savoy, Webb competed in battle of the bands contests with the
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said he gave Webb drum lessons when he first reached New York.
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stated that Webb was born in 1907, the year also suggested in
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The
Complete Chick Webb & Ella Fitzgerald Decca Sessions
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as a vocalist. Webb and
Fitzgerald performed hits such as "
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140:(February 10, 1905 – June 16, 1939) was an American
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American jazz and swing drummer and bandleader (1905–1939)
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Rhythm Man: Chick Webb and the Beat that Changed America
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Ella Fitzgerald; A Biography of the First Lady of Jazz
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636:. The Afro American. February 17, 1940. p. 8
311:both credited Webb with influencing their music.
170:indicate 1905, and this seems to be supported by
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659:Spinnin' the Webb, Chick Webb, The Little Giant
471:Spinnin' The Webb: Chick Webb, The Little Giant
722:Discography of American Historical Recordings
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630:"Scenes as 7500 Attend Chick Webb Benefit"
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773:20th-century deaths from tuberculosis
729:at ChickenBones: A Journal (archived)
406:"Chick Webb, Encyclopædia Britannica"
288:in Baltimore in 1939. Webb died from
833:20th-century American male musicians
661:. Centerstream Publications, 2014,
196:mobility. The injury progressed to
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727:Chick Webb: Baltimore's Jazz Giant
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331:, Fitzgerald and boxing champion
672:Crease, Stephanie Stein (2023).
377:Biography by Richard S. Ginell,
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808:20th-century American drummers
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272:in his Fitzgerald biography.
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823:American male jazz musicians
818:Jazz musicians from Maryland
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676:. Oxford University Press.
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798:Entertainers with dwarfism
276:Declining health and death
783:American jazz bandleaders
778:African-American drummers
264:", which was composed by
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198:tuberculosis of the spine
148:drummer and band leader.
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84:Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
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803:Musicians from Baltimore
468:Falzerano, Chet (2014).
382:. Retrieved June 1, 2020
345:Ella Sings, Chick Swings
592:Charles Scribner's Sons
523:"Buddy Rich Drummerman"
242:Benny Goodman Orchestra
163:Encyclopædia Britannica
813:American male drummers
788:American jazz drummers
286:Johns Hopkins Hospital
40:Background information
351:Stomping at the Savoy
246:Count Basie Orchestra
753:Big band bandleaders
437:on November 12, 2014
102:Musician, bandleader
158:Baltimore, Maryland
68:Baltimore, Maryland
605:"Home - Ken Burns"
329:Herbert R. O'Conor
262:A-Tisket, A-Tasket
181:The New York Times
50:William Henry Webb
768:Swing bandleaders
758:Big band drummers
481:978-1-57424-309-3
294:Arbutus, Maryland
232:" style. Drummer
156:Webb was born in
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548:"Chick Webb"
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530:. Retrieved
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505:. Retrieved
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496:"Chick Webb"
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441:November 12,
439:. Retrieved
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413:. Retrieved
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120:c. 1926-1939
116:Years active
80:(1939-06-16)
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748:1939 deaths
743:1905 births
700:at ArtsEdge
640:January 16,
557:January 16,
532:October 30,
507:December 6,
339:Discography
146:swing music
737:Categories
718:Chick Webb
704:Chick Webb
698:Chick Webb
364:References
317:Buddy Rich
313:Gene Krupa
305:Art Blakey
234:Buddy Rich
152:Early life
107:Instrument
61:1905-02-10
46:Birth name
25:Chick Webb
614:April 20,
333:Joe Louis
501:AllMusic
244:and the
176:DownBeat
168:Allmusic
708:Discogs
415:June 1,
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215:Harlem
209:Career
172:census
89:Genres
70:, U.S.
230:swing
202:spine
134:Chick
110:Drums
678:ISBN
663:ISBN
642:2019
616:2019
609:Jazz
559:2019
534:2011
509:2012
476:ISBN
443:2014
417:2020
319:and
307:and
166:and
144:and
142:jazz
138:Webb
93:Jazz
75:Died
55:Born
720:at
188:by
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
