Louie Bellson: Home

Drummer ... Bandleader ... Composer ... Arranger ... Clinician ... Author ... Recording Artist ... Grammy Nominee ... NEA Jazz Master ... An American Legend

1924 - 2009 _______________________________________________________________

Welcome to the Bellson Beat <---Use Destination panel (left) to expand your journey. 13 adventurous routes! (pages) ______________________________________________________________

Bellson 5K Memorial Drum Roll -- Oct 16

See News or Calendar page for info. Click to download Race Registration Form.

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< < WATCH NOW!!

WQAD-TV News story on May 20, 2010 Unveiling of the Louie Bellson Monument in his boyhood home and final resting place of Moline, Illinois (Quad-Cities).

<--- (click logo to view 50 sec video clip)

Honoring a Legend

Mrs. B places flowers at the (2-sided, 4 surface) Monument which she designed. Photo by John Greenwood, Moline Dispatch/Argus

Click News page May 20, 2010 for full coverage of Bellson Monument Dedication.

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In His Own Words

Louie Bellson chronicles his own early career in this lively video interview documented by the National Assoc- iation of Music Merchants (NAMM) Oral History Program.

(date: 1/19/03, duration: 4:40) To watch video, click photo---> _______________________________________________________________

"Give the drummer some!"

Explore his remarkable life on the Watch Videos Here! page. Also, see the enhanced Bio & Beyond page.

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~ Share remembrances in the Guestbook. ~ _______________________________________________________________

See News page (7/19/09) for story on the passing of DEE DEE BELLSON

~ In Memoriam ~

Performance on Star Search with Ed McMahon. (1988) (To watch, just click photo) ----->

Tip: Fast forward cursor to 2:20 for Dee Dee's song.

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~ In Memoriam ~

Articles on the funerals have been moved to the bottom of the Press Coverage page. (click) Read tributes from everybody (incl. you!) on Guestbook page. (Click photo for News page).

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Listen to 40 fan interviews near bottom of this page.

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Quotes from the Notables

“Louie Bellson represents the epitome of musical talent. His ability to cover the whole musical spectrum from an elite percussionist to a very gifted composer and arranger never ceases to amaze me. I consider him one of the musical giants of our age.” -- Oscar Peterson

“Not only is Louie Bellson the world’s greatest drummer...he is the world’s greatest musician!” --Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington

“...one of the most phenomenal drummers in history” --Leonard Feather, critic

“To listen and see Louie is to know ‘Man’s love of music.’” -- Pearl Bailey Bellson

“One of the greatest thrills of my musical career was to sing with Louie Bellson, my ‘birthday partner’.” -- Della Reese

“Louie Bellson’s playing, everybody knows, is great, but the important thing is that in a business that is so nuts, we’ve remained friends all these years. That’s the real accomplishment.” -- Buddy Rich

“To me, Louis is just one of the nicest guys I have every known. His playing is absolutely on top – on top of everything! He is just so nice! He’s a sweetheart. Louie Bellson is a beautiful artist.” -- Count Basie

“Louie is a superb artist. There’s so much hyperbole you can use but he’s just one of the top drummers… percussionists in the world. And one other thing about Louie: he is a sweet, nice man. There are no pretensions about Louie, and I like that!” -- Johnny Carson

“When you say ‘working with the tops,’ that’s what it is to me working with Louie. He’s an all-around well-loved musician. To me, he’s just like one of the family.” -- Ella Fitzgerald

“He’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Louie’s the kind of musician who, if you tell him something one time, that’s it. He gets it. He’s an excellent, superb musician. -- Sarah Vaughan

“Louie Bellson – the only man I know who, when he plays by himself, sounds like a symphony orchestra.” -- Sammy Davis, Jr.

“There are a lot of great players… a lot of great players around, but Louie Bellson is really something special.” -- “Dizzy” Gillespie

“I feel blessed to have had (him) in my life for so many cherished times … I feel blessed to have (him) deep in my heart.” -- Quincy Jones

“Louie is the best person I ever met.” -- Tony Bennett

And so, the Greats have spoken. What say you?
Let us know by posting a note in the Guestbook.

(Click Guestbook, or link in Destination Panel, above, left.)

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Tips for using this website
Nearly all titles, photos and keywords are clickable links to further info. Join our email list -- use small box atop any page. Revisit site for updates. Write us! (click Guestbook) Don't miss the Video Clips!

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Hear sound clips & get Bellson's latest CDs.
(Click any image)

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Louie Bellson Memorial Service

Radio Interviews & Promo's

a. Mrs. B publicity interview, aired 5-26-09 (part 1)

b. Mrs. B publicity interview, aired 5-26-09 (part 2)

c. Mrs. B publicity interview, aired 5-26-09 (part 3)

d. Roy Gray – Radio Promo for June 29 N. Calif. Memorial Service

Internet Promo Click anywhere on image, then click “Video” to watch church announcement. (1 min)

On-site Interviews The interviews below were conducted by broadcaster Roy Gray of the inspirational ICN Radio program “Jazz, Joy & Roy” at the June 29 San Jose Memorial Service. Click names to hear what attendees had to say about Louie Bellson, Emmanuel Baptist Church and the indomitable Mrs. B.