Born, October 21, 1917 Cheraw, South Carolina
Died, January 6, 1993 Englewood, New Jersey
born to Lottie and James Gillespie. Dizzy's father was a brickmason and played in bands while collecting various musical
instruments. Dizzy taught himself to play the trombone and later taught himself to play his friends silver plated trumpet. Dizzy
never graduated high school but later studied music at the Laurinburg Techincal Institute. In 1937, Dizzy moved to New York
city where he joined the Teddy Hill orchestra and met his future wife and manager, dancer Lorraine Willis. Dizzy met
saxophone player Charlie Parker in 1940 and they later became the founding Father's of "Be Bop". Dizzy also played with
Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Billy Eckstine and later formed his own orchestra. Dizzy was known for his two famous
compositions, "Salt Peanuts", and "A Night in Tunisia". Dizzy was introduced to the H. N. White King Super 20 trumpet by
his friend Charlie Shavers. Dizzy copied many of Charlie Shavers licks and briefly played one of Charlie's H. N. White King
Super 20 trumpets. Dizzy returned to playing Martin trumpets. During a birthday celebration for Lorraine on January 6, 1953,
at Snookie's in New York city, a band member fell on Dizzy's Martin trumpet (while Dizzy took a break) causing the bell to
bend up at a 45 degree angle. Dizzy was known for his joking personality and returned to the bandstand to find his horn
damaged. Dizzy picked it up, played it and fell in love with the new sound. Dizzy then requested the Martin company to
manufacture his horns with the 45 degree upturned bell. Dizzy lead his own orchestra and a quintet touring Europe during the
1950's. Dizzy was the first jazz musician appointed by the U. S. Department of State as Cultural Ambassador touring on
behalf of the United States throughout Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Dizzy was awarded the Handel Medallion
from the Governor of New York, the Paul Robeson award from Rutgers University Institute of Jazz Studies, the Chevalier
Legion of Honor award by the French government, the Kennedy Center Honor from the Kennedy Center in Washington,
D. C., and President George Bush presented Dizzy with the highest prize that could be awarded to an American artist, the
National Medal of the Arts. Fourteen Universities bestowed Dizzy with honorary Doctoral degrees. Dizzy died from
pancreatic cancer on January 6, 1993, in Englewood, New Jersey. On Saturday, June 12, 2004, Dizzy's wife Lorraine died at
their home in Englewood. They were married 53 years. Dizzy is survived by his daughter Jeanie Bryson.
Gold plated Silver Flairs that he had
engraved "Sammy". Robert Morgan of the
King factory engraved the horn and Dizzy
later gave the horn to his friend Sammy
Davis Jr. as a gift. Sammy played drums
and trumpet. After Sammy Davis Jr. died,
the horn became available via an auction of
Sammy Davis Jr.'s property. The horn is
now a H. N. WHITE KINGS Museum
piece.
early in his career. Charlie Shavers
introduced Dizzy to the H. N. White King
Super 20 trumpets in the late 1940's. Dizzy
briefly played a pair of King Super 20
trumpets in 1947 and later returned to
playing the Martin horns. From 1964 to the
late 1980's, Dizzy played King Silver Flair
custom trumpets. Dizzy was introduced to
the Schilke trumpet by
Jon Faddis and he ended his career playing
the Schilke horn.
Al Cass # 2-24 and
# 2-26
mouthpieces.
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