A virtuosic trumpet player and bandleader, known for his energetic and expressive playing style, which influenced many jazz musicians. He was a key figure in the swing era, leading his own orchestra and recording with top artists.
Bunny Berigan was an American jazz trumpeter and bandleader who rose to fame during the swing era of the 1930s. He is best known for his virtuoso jazz trumpeting and his iconic 1937 recording of "I Can't Get Started," which was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1975.
Berigan was born on November 2, 1908, in Hilbert, Wisconsin, to William Patrick Berigan and Mary Catherine Mayme Schlitzberg. He started playing the violin and trumpet at an early age and began his career playing with local bands in Fox Lake as a teenager. Berigan never attended college, but he did play with the University of Wisconsin's jazz ensemble.
After being rejected by the Hal Kemp Orchestra, Berigan joined the band in late 1929 and started touring with them. He made his first recorded trumpet solos with the orchestra, which toured England and other European countries in 1930. Berigan also appeared as a featured soloist with bands led by Rudy Vallee, Tommy Dorsey, Abe Lyman, Paul Whiteman, and Benny Goodman.
In the early 1930s, Berigan became a sought-after studio musician in New York, working with Fred Rich, Freddy Martin, and Ben Selvin on record dates. He joined the staff of CBS radio network musicians in 1931 and recorded his first vocal, "At Your Command," with Rich that year.
Berigan was a member of Paul Whiteman's orchestra from 1932 to 1934, before playing with Abe Lyman's band briefly in 1934. He then returned to freelancing in the New York recording studios and working on staff at CBS radio in 1934. During this period, he recorded as a sideman on hundreds of commercial records, most notably with the Dorsey Brothers.
In 1936, Berigan formed his own band, which featured some of the best musicians of the time. Despite his short career, Berigan's band made a significant impact on the jazz scene, and his music influenced many other musicians, including trumpeters Harry James and Dizzy Gillespie.
Berigan's legacy extends beyond his music. He was one of the first white musicians to be influenced by African American jazz musicians, and he helped to popularize jazz among white audiences. Berigan's virtuosity and melodic playing style also helped to establish the trumpet as a prominent solo instrument in jazz.
Berigan's career was cut short due to his struggles with alcoholism, which affected his health and eventually led to his early demise at the age of 33 from cirrhosis on June 2, 1942. Despite his short career, Berigan left an indelible mark on the jazz world, and his music continues to inspire and influence musicians to this day.
"I don't think I'm a great trumpet player, but I'm a great Bunny Berigan." - Bunny Berigan
"Bunny Berigan was the most natural trumpet player I've ever heard." - Tommy Dorsey
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