Jimmie Lunceford: A Memphis Legend

A Jimmie Lunceford Jamboree Festival News Special: Jimmie Lunceford Was The First High School Band Orchestra Leader/Conductor In The History Of The Memphis City Schools...Lunceford, A Fisk University Graduate, Was Hired As A Teacher Of English,Spanish And Physical Education At Manassas High School Back In The 1920s...He Also Served As The School's Baseball And Football Coach...He Started The First Memphis City Schools' Band/Orchestra With Money Out Of His Own Pocket And Donations From The Community... He Later Took His Band Of High School Students And Turned Them Into A Professional And Popular Local Memphis Band Known As The Chickasaw Syncopators In the early 1930s Lunceford took his band to the legendary Cotton Club in Harlem, NY to take over as the house band for Duke Ellington and Cab CallowayThe group eventually became known as The Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra...The Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra would regularly broadcast live from the Cotton Club gaining a huge national audience...Jimmie Lunceford would constantly beat the great swing bands of his era in numerous battle of the bands contests including those led by Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman and Chick Webb... The Lunceford Orchestra Was Known For Their Amazing Ensemble Play, Singing , Choreography And Overall Showmanship...They were known as The Harlem Express because of their huge African American following and was the top draw act at the world famous Apollo Theatre for 10 years...The Lunceford Orchestra was considered by many including Glenn Miller and Miles Davis to be one of if not the best swing band ever!!! Unfortunately, Jimmie Lunceford (after dying under mysterious circumstances on July 12, 1947 in Seaside, Oregon) has been forgotten by many in the Memphis Community for 61 years and counting... Jimmie Lunceford, the essence of a true teacher, never forgot about Memphis or Manassas High School and would constantly come back to talk to students at Manassas High School and hold free concerts despite being one of the most popular bandleaders in the country, Black or White...

The purpose of the Jimmie Lunceford Jamboree Festival is to bring awareness about Jimmie Lunceford and to instill community pride in the achievements and accomplishments of a native Memphian who never forgot Memphis...Jimmie Lunceford's remains are interred at the famous Elmwood Cemetery along with his wonderful legacy...We @ the Jimmie Lunceford Jamboree Festival look forward to changing that same old sad song & swinging a new brighter tune!!!

Please Visit The Official Jimmie Lunceford Jamboree Festival Website:
http://www.jimmieluncefordjam.blogspot.com/



Jimmie Lunceford @ Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmie_Lunceford


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Category:

Education

Tags:

• Jimmie Lunceford
• Jazz
• Jazz History
• Swing
• Cotton Club
• Black History
• Music History
• Memphis City Schools
• African American History
• Emerson Able Jr.
• Kenneth Whalum Jr.
• Dr. Vasco Smith
• Memphis
• Memphis History