Clarinetist Buster Bailey was born in Memphis, Tennessee on July 19, 1902 and played in some of the best-known musical organizations of his time during his career.

As a youth Bailey took clarinet lessons from the same teacher that worked with Benny Goodman. By the time he was 15 years old Buster was playing in the group led by W.C. Handy.  At 17 he was playing in Erskine Tate’s Vendome Orchestra in Chicago where he remained until joining King Oliver in 1923. While he was with Oliver he befriended bandmate Louis Armstrong. A year later Armstrong took a job with Fletcher Henderson in New York City and recommended Bailey to his new boss. Shortly thereafter Buster was also in New York and playing with the Henderson ensemble where he stayed for four years.

In 1927 Buster Bailey quit Henderson’s band and joined up with Noble Sissle. While in New York Bailey became a popular sideman and recorded with a number of well-known artists of the day including Clarence Williams. In the mid 1930s he joined up with the John Kirby Band where he remained for about a decade before leading his own short-lived group in 1946. Later in his career Bailey played with Wild Bill Davidson and Red Allen and made records with Jimmy Rushing, Eubie Blake and trombonist Vic Dickenson. Buster Bailey died after suffering a heart attack in 1967.

Here is a link to a 1958 Buster Bailey television appearance on the program “Jazz Party:”

"JAZZ PARTY"