[Dixielandjazz] Big Bill Bissonnette

[Bill Haesler]

> I hope that you are wrong!
> So far, there are no obituaries on the web.

Dear Marek,
Sadly, it appears to be true.
The following was post on Facebook in Australia yesterday
Kind regards,
Bill.

Big Bill Bissonnette.
Big Bill Bissonnette passed away this morning, quietly and comfortably. He will be missed by family, friends and fans around the world. He lived his life trying to spread the music he loved, both through his own playing and the recordings that he made of others.
As his final days were upon him he was very introspective, looking back on what he had helped create throughout his life. He was adamant that it was the music that mattered, and he was sure that somewhere there were young musicians hearing New Orleans style jazz and being inspired by it to do their own thing, just like he was inspired by his own idols and mentors: Sammy Penn on drums and Big Jim Robinson on trombone.
His preference was to be cremated without ceremony and those wishes will be honored. In lieu of flowers or cards, I'm sure he would have liked nothing more than for people to remember him by sharing a link to one of his recordings, whatever your personal favorite may have been. He lives on through those recordings and the joy that they bring others.
Many years ago, when facing a life-threatening surgery, he expressed to me that he wasn't worried about the outcome. He believed that there were only two ways it could go. He would either wake up to see me again, or he would wake up to see Big Jim Robinson. He came back to us that day and made many more recordings, many more friends and many more memories over the years, for which we are all very thankful.
Today he has gone to be with Big Jim and the others he had always wanted to see again.
He selected this song to share with everyone on this day:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-3h2ta_YMs
I've selected this one to share:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=1QomuZaOuks
Everyone will miss you, Dad.
- Doug Bissonnette