Boyd Atkins

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Boyd Atkins was an American jazz and blues reed player.

Atkins first played in the St. Louis, Missouri musical scene with the bands of Dewey Jackson and Fate Marable early in the 1920s. Following this Atkins moved to Chicago and led his own band while also working with Earl Hines. In 1927, Atkins joined Louis Armstrong's band at the Sunset Cafe in Chicago, where he played clarinet along with soprano and alto saxophone. Armstrong's band played Atkins' most famous tune, "Heebie Jeebies". Later in the 1920s he again led his own band, The Firecrackers.

Between 1931 and 1934 he played with Eli Rice, and became a bandleader in Minneapolis in the middle of the decade. He also played with Rook Ganz there. In 1940 he fronted the Society Swingsters in Peoria, Illinois. In the 1950s he took more work as an arranger, and played more often with blues musicians such as Elmore James and Magic Sam.

Atkins' birth and death dates are unknown.

[edit] References

• Boyd Atkins at All Music Guide