The Billinghurst Hotel in Detroit. This was Bix's home when the Goldkette band played the Graystone Ballroom. Thirty years later they were still airing out his room.
The famous check from Sam Lanin to Bix from 1927. No one knows quite for sure what it was for. Perhaps the Broadway Bell Hops date.
<--- Blue Steele - An odd but yet hot recording
A not so famous check from Charlie Horvath to Bix from 1925.
Bix Bidlebeck! Say, didn't he play with Wee Pee Brussle & Teddy Wang? Here's one for you. Bix is the greatest of all time. Ok, that works for me. But he was a rich amateur who played for the fun of it? King Bix? A fine idea, but......I think there is someone out there now who claims that title. Don't upset him, it makes him angry.
Sam Lanin gave checks to everybody. Here's a 1925 check made out to Joe Venuti. I wonder how much was deducted for damages?
March 1931. Actually, Bix was doing quite well, playing piano on the radio and working on his compositions.
In spite of his short lifetime, Bix was no stranger to radio broadcasting.
A very strange thing to write about someone without explaining, eh?
A letter from Bix to Charlie Horvath about Bix getting permission from Charlie Straight to play a job with the Jean Goldkette Orchestra. It shows how considerate Bix really was, and how he didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings by taking this job.
Bix's letter to Cornelia Marshall about her upcoming visit to see Bix in Chicago. I think it's great that he used stationary from the Rendez-vous Cafe to write to her .
Even though Cleveland later on would play host to a terrible event in Bix's life, he was very well known there. Not even a last name on the headline, just Bix. Wonderful!
You know, I never had any desire to attend any college, ever. I was too busy playing music to study it. But I would have hocked my socks to attend this school! And this was where Bix & Bill Challis spent countless hours working on the Goldkette arrangements.
A fine ad for a Bix And His Gang release on the Okeh label. Right: Now Bix has gone from a rich amateur who played for the fun of it, to Tram's assistant director henchman who plays "dirty" trumpet. What a life!
Now Jimmy my boy, I'll tell ya what I'm gonna do. Now you know that your old pal Ferde wouldn't steer you wrong, right? This stock is gonna go right through the roof, yessiree! Why, in ten years you'll have enough dough to put together your own band! Get yerself a cute girl singer, hire some of your pals, and brother - you'll be all set! You won't need Whiteman or Goldkette. And as for Tommy..you'll be able to tell him to take a flying &#$% at a rolling donut! Think of it, my boy. AND...to show you my heart's in the right place, I'm gonna throw in a few shares of Kazoo Lips stock! How can you go wrong? You got cash, right? I don't take checks....sorry. Got burned once, you understand....Busse...just a bad scene.
