St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1956-10-19
THE LOWDOWN
BY l.. Masco Young
Bill Dosseffs Life From
Philly Honky Tonks
To "Honky Tonk" Fume

~ EfSttNX hSfHN NAAAAG
New York. -- Your name is
William Ballard Doggett, and you
were born on Feb. 10, 1915 in Phil
adelphia AS a child, and long be-
fore you knew the difference be-
tween a sharp and fiat you had
burning ear" for music But or
gans were played only in churches
carnivals and theatres in those
days, so you became interested in
the trumpet al the ripe old age Of
nine But your family was poor
and unable to help you launch the
career you wanted as a trumpet
player. So the Doggetts perman-
ent household fixture battered
upright piano was the next logi-
cal outlet for your budding must
cal genius,
Years later Jimmy German gave
you your first professional job
with a band, and paid you SIS for
your first weeks work. II wasn't
much even in those days, but you
we're in your element--so you de-
cided to stick IT out You began
to gain stature as an accomplished
musician in Philadelphia and
more jobs came your way Top
bandleaders Of the day called upon
you as a sideman. Soon you were
good enough to organize your own
band, and the year was 1888
For a few months you played at
some Of the top theatres and
clubs. Then hard times struck the
band business and you were forced
to sell your entire band. The buyer
was Lucky Millinder, and you'll
never forget that deal. You were
hard pressed for cash, and debts
we're piling up all around you, so
you told Lucky, I'm settle for
coke. Today you and Millinder
laugh about that sale, and Lucky
says, II got a better deal than
when the Indians sold the Island Of
Manhattan for S24.
In 1910 you joined Jimmy
Mundy's band, but In October of
the same year you went back to
Millinder as pianist-arranger.
You were having your moments
Of INDIGESTION, and your future,
IL seemed, was somewhat I'M
certain. Your association with
Millinder lasted for two years.
Then your first real happiness
came into your life. You married
Angelyn Darlington, the dream
girl you loved so much. Through
Angelyn's faith, devotion and pa
thence you were able to accomplish
much on your blueprint for sue
cess" which you both know would
come some day.
Some years later, after a brief
stay with the original Ink Spots
as Pianist-arranger, you found
yourself on a plane headed for Los
Angeles. Calf, where you be-
came the chief arranger for Lionel
Hampton's orchestra. Now you
were really flirting with bigtime
and success! After the Hampton
band had finished a series of one
nighters in the San Francisco
Oakland area and returned to LA.
for recording session, you learn
ed from Billy Jones that Louis
Jordan was looking for a pianist
and organist, an unknown guy
named Bill Davis, was the must
clan whose place you took. Davis
was leaving the band because he
had an idea about using the organ
as an instrument Of swing, Before
he left, you and Davis became
lasting friends.
Several years later when you
met Davis again he was the rage
of the Hammond organ, and you
were still pianist-arranger for
Jordan. Then something happened
which was destined to change your
whole career, Louis Jordan hired
Bill Davis to go on a tour at three
times the salary you were getting
for arranging and playing the
piano. within a year you left Jor-
dan to study the Hammond organ.
In August 1881 YOU got n
long distance call from Bin Da-
Wis, who told you that Ella Fitz-
gerald had a recording date set
for DeCca Records and wanted
an orCanist, since Bill Davis
was under contract to Columbia
Records and couldn't accept the
job. he offered It 20 you.
This was you big chance You