Claiborne Williams (December 31, 1868 – October 10, 1952) was an American musician, bandleader, and music teacher.
Life and career
Claiborne Williams was born in
Ascension Parish
Ascension Parish (french: Paroisse de l'Ascension, es, Parroquia de Ascensión) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 126,500. Its parish seat is Donaldsonville. The parish was created ...
near
Donaldsonville, Louisiana
Donaldsonville (historically french: Lafourche-des-Chitimachas) is a city in, and the parish seat of Ascension Parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Located along the River Road of the west bank of the Mississippi River, it is a part of the Bat ...
. As a young man, he worked in
for the Werlein Music Company on Canal Street, where he repaired musical instruments. At the age of 17 he led a band at the Wilbert Theatre in
Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge ( ; ) is a city in and the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-sma ...
. At 18 he was also leader of the St. Joseph Brass Band, and was a music teacher in the nearby towns of
Donaldsonville. Notable pupils of Williams were trombone player
Louis Nelson, and
Oscar "Papa" Celestin
Oscar Phillip Celestin (January 1, 1884 – December 15, 1954) better known by stage name Papa Celestin was an American jazz trumpeter and bandleader.
Life and career
Celestin was born in Napoleonville, Louisiana, to a Creole family, son of a ...
; later Louis Nelson played a few dates with Claiborne's orchestra.
Williams was primarily a violinist, but taught all instruments. He charged fifty cents for a lesson lasting from half an hour to an hour. Although he travelled around the USA, Canada and even Europe as leader of "Billy Kersand and his Minstrel Troupe", most of his musical career was spent in and around
Donaldsonville. Williams' musical career continued well into the late 1930s early 1940s. Members of the Claiborne Williams band included famed
Dave Bartholomew
David Louis Bartholomew (December 24, 1918 – June 23, 2019) was an American musician, bandleader, composer, arranger, and record producer. He was prominent in the music of New Orleans throughout the second half of the 20th century. Originally ...
,
"Papa" John Joseph, Richard Jones, and Walter Lewis.
Claiborne Williams died at the age of 83 on October 10, 1952, in a New Orleans hospital. He was buried in a
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
cemetery.
Footnotes
References
*Koenig, Karl. ''Musical History of Donaldsonville & Claiborne Williams, 1868-1952: Gentlemen Musician of Donaldsonville, LA.: leader, St. Joseph Brass and String Band'', Basin Street Press, (1996) - B0006QGUEI
External links
Picture of Claiborne Williams
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Claiborne
Musicians from Louisiana
People from Donaldsonville, Louisiana
1868 births
1952 deaths
African-American Catholics