| Tiny Bradshaw | |
|---|---|
Tiny Bradshaw |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Myron Bradshaw |
| Born | September 23, 1905 Youngstown, Ohio, United States |
| Died | November 26, 1958 (aged 53) Cincinnati, Ohio, United States |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupations | Pianist, rhythm and blues bandleader |
| Instruments | drums, piano |
| Years active | 1933–1958 |
Myron C. ("Tiny") Bradshaw (September 23, 1905 – November 26, 1958)[1] was an American jazz and rhythm and blues bandleader, singer, composer, pianist, and drummer from Youngstown, Ohio.[2]
Contents |
Bradshaw graduated from high school in Youngstown.[3] After graduating from Wilberforce University with a degree in psychology, Bradshaw turned to music for a living.[4] In Ohio, he sang with Horace Henderson's campus oriented Collegians.[4] 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.[2]
In 1934, Bradshaw formed his own swing orchestra, which recorded eight sides in two separate sessions for Decca Records that year in New York City.[3] The band's next recording date was in 1944 for Manor Records,[3] at which point its music was closer to rhythm and blues. He recorded in 1947 for Savoy[3] The band recorded extensively for the rhythm and blues market with King Records between 1949 and early 1955.[2][3]
Bradshaw's best known recording was "Train Kept A-Rollin'" (1951), which passed from rhythm and blues into rock.[2] 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 strokes that left him partially paralyzed. His last session in 1958 resulted in two recordings, "Bushes" and "Short Shorts" (King 5114),[3] 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.[1] He was 53 years old.[2]
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 Collins, Gil Fuller, Gigi Gryce, Russell Procope, Red Prysock, Sonny Stitt, and Shadow Wilson.[2]