William C. Rank (June 8, 1904 – May 20, 1979)
was an American
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
trombonist.
Rank was born in
Lafayette, Indiana
Lafayette ( , ) is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, located northwest of Indianapolis and southeast of Chicago. West Lafayette, on the other side of the Wabash River, is home to Purdue University, whi ...
, United States, and initially worked in Indiana and Florida.
In 1922, Rank played trombone in Tade's Singing Orchestra, which was led by violinist, Tade Dolen.
["This Singing Orchestra is in the State," ''Cleveland Plain Dealer'' (Cleveland, Ohio); July 2, 1922; Amusement and Auto News Section - page 5)] Between 1923 and 1927 he played with
Jean Goldkette
John Jean Goldkette (March 18, 1893 – March 24, 1962) was a jazz pianist and bandleader.
Life
Goldkette was reportedly born on March 18, 1893 in Valenciennes, France,Russel B. Nye (1976). Music in the Twenties: The Jean Goldkette Orchestra ...
's band in Detroit and often recorded with
Bix Beiderbecke.
After playing with
Adrian Rollini in 1927 and a period as a freelance, Rank joined
Paul Whiteman
Paul Samuel Whiteman (March 28, 1890 – December 29, 1967) was an American bandleader, composer, orchestral director, and violinist.
As the leader of one of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s and early 1930s, W ...
's band, and stayed until 1938.
He was then a studio musician in Hollywood into the early 1940s, when he moved to
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
.
There, he led a tenet for the rest of the 1940s.
Rank then changed to playing part-time while also working in insurance.
His one album as a leader, a tribute to Beiderbecke, was recorded in 1973.
Rank continued playing until a short time before his death, on May 20, 1979, in Cincinnati.
Discography
As leader
*''Bix's Gang Lives'' (Fat Cat's Jazz)
As sideman
With
Bix Beiderbecke
*''At the Jazz Band Ball'' (
Okeh Records)
*''Goose Pimples'' (
Okeh Records)
*''Jazz Me Blues'' (
Okeh Records)
*''Louisiana'' (
Okeh Records)
*''Margie'' (
Okeh Records)
*''Ol' Man River'' (
Okeh Records)
*''Rhythm King'' (
Okeh Records)
*''Royal Garden Blues'' (
Okeh Records)
*''Since My Best Gal Turned Me Down'' (
Okeh Records)
*''Somebody Stole My Gal'' (
Okeh Records)
*''Sorry'' (
Okeh Records)
*''Thou Swell'' (
Okeh Records)
*''Wa-Da-Da (Everybody's Doin' It Now)'' (
Okeh Records)
References
1904 births
1979 deaths
American jazz trombonists
Male trombonists
20th-century American musicians
20th-century trombonists
20th-century American male musicians
American male jazz musicians
Victor Recording Orchestra members
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