Tiny Bradshaw
Encyclopedia
Myron C. Bradshaw (September 23, 1905 – November 26, 1958) was an American
jazz
and rhythm and blues
bandleader, singer, composer, pianist, and drummer from Youngstown, Ohio
.
with a degree in psychology, Bradshaw turned to music for a living. In Ohio
, he sang with Horace Henderson
's campus oriented Collegians. Then, in 1932, Bradshaw relocated to New York City
, where he drummed for Marion Hardy, the Charleston Bearcats
(later the Savoy Bearcats
), and the Mills Blue Rhythm Band
, and sang for Luis Russell
.
orchestra, which recorded eight sides in two separate sessions for Decca Records
that year in New York City. The band's next recording date was in 1944 for Manor Records
, at which point its music was closer to rhythm and blues. He recorded in 1947 for Savoy
The band recorded extensively for the rhythm and blues market with King Records
between 1949 and early 1955.
Bradshaw's best known recording was "Train Kept A-Rollin'
" (1951), which passed from rhythm and blues into rock
. The song was recorded by Johnny Burnette
in 1956 and The Yardbirds
in 1965. It was covered again by Aerosmith
in 1974 and by Motörhead in 1978.
Bradshaw's later career was hampered by severe health problems, including two stroke
s that left him partially paralyzed. His last session in 1958 resulted in two recordings, "Bushes" and "Short Shorts" (King 5114), which proved an unsuccessful attempt to reach out to the emerging teenage market. Weakened by the successive strokes as well as the rigors of his profession, Bradshaw died in his adopted hometown of Cincinnati from another stroke in 1958. He was 53 years old.
, Gil Fuller
, Gigi Gryce
, Russell Procope
, Red Prysock
, Sonny Stitt
, and Shadow Wilson
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
bandleader, singer, composer, pianist, and drummer from Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
.
Early years
Bradshaw graduated from high school in Youngstown. After graduating from Wilberforce UniversityWilberforce University
Wilberforce University is a private, coed, liberal arts historically black university located in Wilberforce, Ohio. Affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, it was the first college to be owned and operated by African Americans...
with a degree in psychology, Bradshaw turned to music for a living. In Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, he sang with Horace Henderson
Horace Henderson
Horace W. Henderson Born in Cuthbert, Georgia , younger brother of Fletcher Henderson, was an American jazz pianist, organist, arranger, and bandleader....
's campus oriented Collegians. Then, in 1932, Bradshaw relocated to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he drummed for Marion Hardy, the Charleston Bearcats
Charleston Bearcats
The Charleston Bearcats were an American jazz band of the 1920s, led by Leon Abbey, which became the Savoy Bearcats....
(later the Savoy Bearcats
Savoy Bearcats
The Savoy Bearcats were an eleven-piece jazz band, led by Leon Abbey, which was the house band at the Savoy Ballroom in New York City from its opening in 1926 to 1928. The band's name was changed from the Charleston Bearcats while they were at the Savoy...
), and the Mills Blue Rhythm Band
Mills Blue Rhythm Band
The Mills Blue Rhythm Band was an American big band of the 1930s.The band was formed in Harlem in 1930, with reedman Bingie Madison the first of its many leaders. It started life as the Coconut Grove Orchestra, changing to Mills Blue Rhythm Band when Irving Mills became its manager in 1931...
, and sang for Luis Russell
Luis Russell
Luis Russell was a jazz pianist and bandleader.Luis Carl Russell was born on Careening Cay, near Bocas del Toro, Panama, in a family of Afro-Caribbean ancestry. His father was a music teacher, and young Luis learned to play violin, guitar, trombone, and piano...
.
Bandleader
In 1934, Bradshaw formed his own swingSwing (genre)
Swing music, also known as swing jazz or simply swing, is a form of jazz music that developed in the early 1930s and became a distinctive style by 1935 in the United States...
orchestra, which recorded eight sides in two separate sessions for Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
that year in New York City. The band's next recording date was in 1944 for Manor Records
Manor Records
Manor Records was a United States based record label of the 1940s.A small label founded in NYC by Irving Berman, Manor Records later moved its headquarters to New Jersey....
, at which point its music was closer to rhythm and blues. He recorded in 1947 for Savoy
Savoy Records
Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part in popularizing bebop.Savoy Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, R&B and gospel. Starting in the mid 1940s, Savoy played an important part...
The band recorded extensively for the rhythm and blues market with King Records
King Records (USA)
King Records is an American record label, started in 1943 by Syd Nathan and originally headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.-History:At first it specialized in country music, at the time still known as "hillbilly music." King advertised, "If it's a King, It's a Hillbilly -- If it's a Hillbilly, it's a...
between 1949 and early 1955.
Bradshaw's best known recording was "Train Kept A-Rollin'
Train Kept A-Rollin'
"Train Kept A-Rollin" is a song written by Tiny Bradshaw, Howard Kay, and Lois Mann. Bradshaw first recorded the song as a jump blues in 1951—his best known recording. After a rock and roll version of the song was recorded and released by Johnny Burnette and the Rock and Roll Trio in 1956, numerous...
" (1951), which passed from rhythm and blues into rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
. The song was recorded by Johnny Burnette
Johnny Burnette
John Joseph "Johnny" Burnette was an American rockabilly musician. Along with his older brother Dorsey Burnette, and also a friend named Paul Burlison, Burnette was a founding member of The Rock and Roll Trio. He was the father of 1980s rockabilly singer Rocky Burnette.-Early life:Johnny Burnette...
in 1956 and The Yardbirds
The Yardbirds
- Current :* Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Jim McCarty - drums, backing vocals * Ben King - lead guitar * David Smale - bass, backing vocals...
in 1965. It was covered again by Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
in 1974 and by Motörhead in 1978.
Bradshaw's later career was hampered by severe health problems, including two stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
s that left him partially paralyzed. His last session in 1958 resulted in two recordings, "Bushes" and "Short Shorts" (King 5114), which proved an unsuccessful attempt to reach out to the emerging teenage market. Weakened by the successive strokes as well as the rigors of his profession, Bradshaw died in his adopted hometown of Cincinnati from another stroke in 1958. He was 53 years old.
Legacy
Bradshaw is remembered for a string of rhythm and blues hits, including "Well Oh Well", "Breaking Up the House", and "Soft". As a bandleader, he was an invaluable mentor to important musicians and arrangers including Shad CollinsShad Collins
Lester Rallingston "Shad" Collins was an American jazz trumpet player, composer and arranger, who played in several leading bands between the 1930s and 1950s, including those led by Chick Webb, Benny Carter, Count Basie, Lester Young, Cab Calloway and Sam "The Man" Taylor.-Life and career:Born in...
, Gil Fuller
Gil Fuller
Walter Gilbert "Gil" Fuller was an American jazz arranger. He is no relation to the jazz trumpeter and vocalist Walter "Rosetta" Fuller....
, Gigi Gryce
Gigi Gryce
Gigi Gryce was an American saxophonist, flautist, clarinetist, composer, arranger, educator, and big band bandleader.His performing career was relatively short and, in comparison to other musicians of his...
, Russell Procope
Russell Procope
Russell Procope , an American clarinettist and alto saxophonist, was known best for his long tenure in the reed section of Duke Ellington's orchestra, where he was one of its two signature clarinet soloists....
, Red Prysock
Red Prysock
Wilburt Prysock known as Red Prysock, was an American rhythm and blues tenor saxophonist, one of the early Coleman Hawkins influenced saxophonists to move in the direction of rhythm and blues, rather than bebop....
, Sonny Stitt
Sonny Stitt
Edward "Sonny" Stitt was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/hard bop idiom. He was also one of the best-documented saxophonists of his generation, recording over 100 albums in his lifetime...
, and Shadow Wilson
Shadow Wilson
Rossiere "Shadow" Wilson was an American jazz drummer.Much of Wilson's early work was with swing jazz orchestras. He played with Lucky Millinder in 1939, and following this with Benny Carter, Tiny Bradshaw, Lionel Hampton, Earl Hines, Count Basie, and Woody Herman...
.