[Dixielandjazz] Bunny Berigan

[David Dustin]

Hal Vickery wrote:
 The story I know is that Bobby Hackett played guitar for Miller after
having dental work.  Hackett puts down his guitar
and picks up his trumpet (or cornet?) on "A String of Pearls.

================
I believe you are correct. Miller gave Hackett the guitar gig and not
Berigan.  Checked my references and can¹t locate the story, but George
Simon¹s July 1942 farewell (³Bunny, Like Bix will Soon Be A Myth²) sets
forth a fairly complete chronology of the man¹s career which doesn¹t show
any significant stints with Miller. Although he reports that Bunny recorded
³In a Little Spanish Town² and ³Solo Hop² with Miller¹s band but doesn¹t
give the dates.  Simon writes that Bunny¹s return to T Dorsey in 1940 was a
brief golden comeback (6 months) that re-energized Dorsey¹s band at a low
point and featured Bunny ³playing magnificent horn once more.² Then either B
quit or T fired him (the story varies), final attempts by Bunny to lead a
strong band under his own name spiraled downward until he was hospitalized
with cirrhosis and died, with Dorsey leaving a gig to be at the deathbed
just before the end.

Interestingly, the Simon elegy credits Bunny with discovering Buddy Rich, in
the 1937 Berigan band that featured Hank Wayland on bass. Wayland was the
subject of a personal reminiscence the other day by listmate Don Ingle.

David Dustin