Friday, June 27, 2008

Louis Jordan, musician extraordinaire

A few days ago I was telling you about the history volume entitled "A Brinkley Remembrancer" and the second one, aptly named "A Brinkley Remembrancer, Part 2." Both are written by Bill Sayger, devoted Eastern Arkansas historian.

The cover of the second volume features a photograph of Louis Jordan, famous musician, and his father, Jim Jordan. Page 70 of the book has this information:

Louis Jordan, born and raised in Brinkley, was one of the nation's best known bandleaders, saxophone players, and popular songwriters in the 1940s ... James Jordan taught band to Brinkley, Cotton Plant, and Dark Corner young people.

The following page contains a reprint of a story published in the "Arkansas Times" in 2001 along with further information about James and Louis Jordan:

Jordan's father, known as Jim, played in minstrel shows and in the off season was at home and directed the Brinkley Brass Band, which Louis became a member of. [Louis] was strongly influenced in his early years by his father, his aunt Lizzie Reed, and Naomi Gettis, all of Brinkley and all musically proficient.

Read more about Bill Sayger, historian, at www.cddm.org.

Read more about Louis Jordan at the Encyclopedia of Arkansas and on my website Arkansas Profiles.

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