[Dixielandjazz] Davison & Bix to Ringwald/Petters

[Tom Saunders]

Gents,
I think everyone in the world has a "Wild Bill" story to tell. Here are
a few.
Bill first heard Bix at a ballroom in Cincinatti. The band Bill was with
was at one end and the Wolverines atth other. Bill loved the way Bix
played and, in fact,
his solo on the first record he ever made
sounded more like Bix than the Davison
we all know. It was "Because They All LoveYou" with the Chub Stienberg
band.
If either of you have the video we did on Bill's life it's in there.
Bill showed me the building where a speakeasy was located that
entertained
him and Bix many nights after their gigs.
Bix was in Detroit with Whiteman and Bill
was at the Pirateship Cafe working for the Purple Gang. As you know,
during prohibition one could get an honest drink of booze inDetroit, as
i came from Canada. Bill and Bix knew that too!
Bill did tell me that while in Detroit he played cornet with Bix on the
piano after
Bix's pivot tooth fell out.To this day I don't know what a pivot tooth
is. We could go on about these two, but that covers what you brought up.
By the way, the recording I mention above was Bill's first. Many people
think it was
"Horsey Keep Your Tail Up" with that same band, but they are mistaken.
Bil & I covered this carefully, as we knew it would comeup time & time
again.
Stay well & Have Fun,
Tom Saunders