Died On This Date (August 6, 1931) Bix Beiderbecke / Jazz Icon
themusicsover Leon “Bix” Beiderbecke
March 10, 1903 – August 6, 1931
Bix Beiderbecke was primarily a cornetist who was considered one of the premier jazz talents of the 1920s, or the Jazz Age. When it came to the cornet, Beiderbecke had perhaps just one equal, and that was Louis Armstrong. Over a career that roughly lasted just six years, Beiderbecke recorded many songs that would go on to become standards. That list includes “Georgia On My Mind,” “Riverboat Shuffle,” and “Copenhagen.” He also recorded with such greats as Hoagy Carmichael, Joe Venuti and Jimmy Dorsey. A heavy drinker, Beiderbecke died of what was presumed to be alcohol withdrawal. The official cause was brain edema and lobar pneumonia. Beiderbecke was just 28 years old.
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