Louie Bellson: Bio & Beyond

Louie Bellson

Referred to by Duke Ellington as “not only the world’s greatest drummer...(but also) the world’s greatest musician!”, Louie Bellson has expressed himself on drums since age three. At 15, he pioneered the double bass drum set-up. At 17, he triumphed over 40,000 drummers to win the Gene Krupa drumming contest.

He has performed on more than 200 albums with such greats as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Woody Herman, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Louie Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, James Brown, Sammy Davis Jr., Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, Joe Williams, Wayne Newton and Bellson’s late wife Pearl Bailey.

Composer and author, he has written more than 1,000 compositions and more than a dozen books on drums and percussion. He received the prestigious American Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1994. Also, he is a six-time Grammy nominee.

In 1998, Louie Bellson was hailed (along with Roy Haynes, Elvin Jones and Max Roach) as one of four “Living Legends of Music” when he received the American Drummers Achievement Award from the Zildjian Company.

Bellson holds four honorary doctorates, the latest from DePaul University in 2001. In 2003, a historical land-marker was dedicated at his July 6, 1924 birth house in Rock Falls, Illinois, thus inaugurating their annual 4-day celebration in his honor.

The 2006 CD release of “The Sacred Music of Louie Bellson and the Jazz Ballet” amply showcased his mastery and breadth as both composer and performer. This “magnum opus” is well attested to by the highest accolades of colleagues Tony Bennett, Della Reese, Dave Brubeck, Lalo Schifrin, and others. CDBaby.com

In March 2007, Bellson and 35 other jazz greats received the Living Jazz Legends Award from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. In June 2007, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers inducted Bellson as a Living Legend in the ASCAP Jazz Wall of Fame ceremony, Jazz at the Lincoln Center, New York City.

His new big-band CD with trumpeter Clark Terry, "LOUIE & CLARK EXPEDITION 2" was released in early 2008 and is available through CDBaby.com or Amazon.com.
Francine Bellson, 2/08

Contact

Mr. Louie Bellson
c/o Remo, Inc.
28101 Industry Drive
Valencia, CA 91355
(661) 294-5600
bellson@remo.com
www.LouieBellson.net

Honorary Doctorates

2001 - DePaul University, Chicago, IL
1996 - Augustana College, Rock Island, IL
1995 - Denison University, Granville, OH
1985 - Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL

Bellson Name Scholarships

USC Thornton School of Music, Los Angeles, CA
Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA
(Know someone who might be eligible? For more info,
go to Contact and page down to "Scholarship Fund".)

Biography & Photos

Here's an extensive (20-page) online article on Louie Bellson by Stephen Fratallone in the March, 2005 issue of Jazz Connection Magazine. <--click

BELLSON SITE-SEEING AROUND THE WORLD

Displays, Exhibits, Artifacts
(How many have you visited?)

Davenport, IADisplay at the "River Music Experience Center for American Roots Music," a museum of Blues, Rock-n-roll, Jazz, Gospel, etc. (Grand Opening: 6/04)

Sterling, ILExhibit including display of 2003 postal cancellation stamp bearing his name and image. Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society Museum.

Rock Falls, ILHistorical marker installed in front of Bellson’s birth house on 8th Avenue by the Rock Falls Chamber of Commerce. (Street signs direct visitors to site.)

Grand Rapids, MIVideoclip, performing at the White House for Anwar Sadat, president of Egypt; with Pearl Bailey and Tony Bennett. Pres. Gerald R. Ford Museum.

Norwell, MADisplay of his full double-bass drumset, including limited edition14k gold
snare drum that Remo, Inc. issued for Bellson’s 75th birthday in 1999.
Also, extensive archival photo display in Wall of Fame. Avedis Zildjian Co.

Davenport, IAHonoree in display case, aboard the Rhythm City Casino Riverboat. Pier.

San Jose, CAHonoree in display case, incl. 14k gold snare drum. The Musicians Warehouse.

Moline, ILDisplay in Alumni Hall of Honor showcase and star on Walk of Fame. Moline High School (Class of ’42).

Tulsa, OKDisplay, 1998 Living Legend Inductee. Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame,
Greenwood Cultural Center, 322 N. Greenwood Avenue.

Rock Island, ILHands & drumstick impression in cement displayed in Arts Alley, downtown.

Hollywood, CAHands impression in cement on Hollywood’s RockWalk of Fame.

Berne, SwitzerlandThe Louie Bellson Suite hotel room decorated with extensive memorabilia. (Other suites honor Milt Hinton, Clark Terry, Lionel Hampton, etc.) Hotel Innere Inge.

Washington, DCPart of the Duke Ellington Exhibit at the Smithsonian Institute.

New York, NYLarge photo on stairway to upper balcony. The Apollo Theater, Harlem.
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(Know of other Bellson displays worthy of note? Write Mrs. B. at bellson@remo.com.)