Label
Councilwoman McPherson
Title
Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Toledo Jazz Legend, Jon Hendricks.
Summary
WHEREAS, Jon Hendricks, a legend in the jazz world who taught at The University of Toledo 16 years, died Nov. 22, 2017 at age 96 in New York City; and
WHEREAS, Jon Hendricks was born in Newark, Ohio, in September 16, 1921; his family moved to Toledo when he was 4 years old where they lived on the same street as Toledo's other jazz legend, pianist Art Tatum; and
WHEREAS, at age 14, Jon Hendricks started performing at the Waiters and Bellmen's Club on Indiana Avenue in Toledo, of which recalled "I met a lot of people at 14 - Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Lucky Millinder, Andy Kirk, Don Redman. I met just about anybody that there was because everybody came to hear Art Tatum;" and
WHEREAS, Jon Hendricks, the Scott High School graduate sang in Detroit and in the Glass City - until he was drafted into the army in 1942; there after serving his country, returned to Toledo; and
WHEREAS, Jon Hendricks, in 1946, he enrolled at The University of Toledo, where he studied literature and law; some of his poetry was published in The Collegian, UT's student newspaper; all the while, he worked as a singer and drummer at night; even sat in with Charlie "Bird" Parker when he played the Civic Auditorium in Toledo in 1950; and
WHEREAS, Jon Hendricks started writing and trying to sell his songs, where, after some success on his own, he teamed up with Dave Lambert; and in 1955, they wrote "Four Brothers," which they recorded as Jon Hendricks and the Dave Lambert Singers; and
WHEREAS, after "Sing a Song of Basie" by Lambert, Hendricks & Ross was released in 1958, the trio continued their success, teaming up with the Count Basie Orchestra for "Sing Along With Basie" in 1959; and
WHEREAS, as a solo artist, Jon Hendricks continued to gain attention behind the microphone with his early recordings included "...
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