The union lasted until his death in 2009. Trained as a physicist and engineer at MIT, Francine Bellson (née Wright) became his manager. Son Tony Bellson died in 2004, and DeeDee Bellson at age 49, died July 4, 2009, just 5 months after her father, who died on Valentine's Day 2009.Īfter Pearl Bailey's death in 1990, he married his second wife, Francine in September 1992. And the couple adopted a little girl, Dee Dee J. They adopted a little boy, Tony, in the mid-1950s. In 1952 he married Pearl Bailey, and he left Ellington to be her musical director. Army band when he joined Danny Kaye, Louis Armstrong, Tommy Dorsey, Lionel Hampton, Charlie Barnet, Benny Carter, Mel Powell, Kenny Dorharn, Harry Babasin, Al Hendrickson, Buck Washington, and Goodman for the Howard Hawks film A Song Is Born (1948)īetween 19, Bellson performed with Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, and Duke Ellington (for whom he wrote 'Skin Deep' and 'The Hawk Talks'). He also appeared in 20th Century Fox's classic The Gang's All Here (1943) in the orchestra while Carmen Miranda sang 'Paducah'. In 1943, he performed with the Benny Goodman band and Peggy Lee in The Powers Girl, the first of his many film appearances. But we also have to look back at Chick Webb's contributions, too.' Gene helped bring the drums to the foreground as a solo instrument. We all three looked to Jo as the 'Papa' who really did it. All three of us realized what Jo Jones did and it influenced a lot of us. 'I have to give just dues to two guys who really got me off on the drums - Big Sid Catlett and Jo Jones. In an interview in 2005 with Jazz Connection Magazine he credited Papa Jo Jones and Big Sid Catlett as influences as well as Chick Webb.

Louie graduated from Moline High School, Moline, IL, in 1939. At age 17, he triumphed over 40,000 drummers to win the Slingerland National Gene Krupa contest. His detailed sketch earned him an 'A' in his high school art class. At age 15, he pioneered the double-bass drum set-up.

Louie Bellson was born in Rock Falls, Illinois, in 1924 and started playing drums at three years of age. Mention: Inducted into the Percussive Arts Society (1978) PAS Hall of Fame Teachers: Roy Knapp, Murray Spivack, Tommy Thomas elected to the Percussive Arts Society 'Hall of Fame' (1978)

Studies: Augustana College, Illinois (1942)

Supreme drummer