[Dixielandjazz] Roy Eldridge

[Stephen Barbone]

Will Connelly wrote: (kindly)

"I included a fun Roy Eldridge story in my Miss Rag article on cornetist
Hal Donovan last month."

Yes you did, Will, and for those who may not have read it, it concerns
Roy Eldridge coming into a club, brought by a friend, and the friend
requested to the band leader that he be able to sit in. The leader, not
looking up said, sure, tell him to sign in and we'll call him when his
turn comes. Then the leader looked up to see Roy Eldr.... signing in
silently and was very embarrassed. The leader might have been Hal
Donovan? (Or something like that.)

Points out that Roy a regular guy, was not overly impressed by his own
genius and ready to wait to take his turn.

He was also one of the first black trumpeters to play with White bands
on a regular basis, however he was also a very sensitive man and could
not take staying at different hotels, etc., and all that racial BS that
existed among the clubs, hotels and ballrooms in those days. He was with
Gene Krupa's Band 1941, Artie Shaw in 1944, then leaving because he
couldn't take that BS from clubs, hotels, ballrooms, etc., even though
all the guys in the bands were all behind him and encouraging him to
stay and tough it out.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

PS. Also have to repeat what I heard him say to a fan towards the end of
his career when he was playing at Jimmy Ryan's. The fan said "I didn't
know you played . . . Dixieland". Eldridge smiled and replied, "I've
been playing Dixieland all of my life."