VOLUME XX BIG BAND JUMP NEWSLETTER MAY-JUNE 1992

SIDELIGHTS (Nicknames, continued) Joseph Manone lost an arm in a streetcar accident in New Orleans when he was very young. Hence, the ITALIAN There's a story about an un-named name "Wingy.” OPERA Italian violinist who played in the orchestra at a Naples opera house. He William Randolph Cole was called "Colesy" by his entered the pit, spread his newspaper out to read it, and football friends in school. This eventually became" Cozy." tried to open his violin case. The latch wouldn't work, so he resumed reading his newspaper. When the was called "The Ray" by his sidemen orchestra began to tune up, he tried again to open his because of the look he'd give anyone who made a case. No luck. The conductor stepped to the podium mistake. He was also called "Pops" (the name he called and the opera began. Between acts, the violinist tried everyone, even his daughters) and sometimes was called again to open the case, but it just wouldn't respond, so "The Ego." Feisty little drummer called him he went on break with the other musicians, then "Benny Badman" and pianist Jess Stacy addressed him as returned to read his newspaper during the final act. At "Shirley Temple" for reasons lost in time. the end of the opera, he said goodbye to the other orchestra members, picked up his case and left ... the It was Mildred Bailey who named world's first performance on a closed case. "The Groaner," and who gave the name "Pops." RED NICHOLS It was 1941, and Red was working with his group in a Claude Thornhill's name was mis-pronounced often Columbus, Ohio hotel when a customer told him, by square patrons and even nightclub owners, who "Your band's not very good this year, is it?” sometimes called him Claude Thornton among other Red looked at him with some derision and corruptions. He got so tired of being addressed asked, "What do you do for a living?" improperly, he would tell people his name was "I'm a salesman." "Wurmpth Furdber." The name Wurmpth even ap­ "OK," said Red, "go ahead and try to sell me peared on a name tag on top of the piano. something!" Slim Gaillard used the appelation "Roonie" in songs, and added it to people's names. Charlie Parker-a- ROY CLARK While we all know Roy roonie, for example. On a "live" radio broadcast, Slim Clark's a Country and West­ Gaillard was introduced to Mickey Rooney. "Hello, ern player, he's also an excellent musician who plays Mickey-roonie," he said. "What's your last name?" string instruments extremely well. The story goes he was performing at a recording session in Nashville It was Lester Young who gave Billie Holiday the name when the producer got on the talk-back from the "Lady Day." She returned the favor by calling him control room. The President," both names staying with those artists "We need another take." he said. "There was throughout their lives, with "Prez" becoming so well- some string noise from your guitar." known it became better known than Lester. Roy responded with irritation. "Man, even Segovia gets string noise!" "Yeah," the producer said, "that's why he's These stories were collected and published by not on this date." musician Bill Crow in his delightful book ANECDOTES, put out by Oxford Press. He also NICKNAMES Wilber Clayton's mother inserts such stories in the New York Musicians' called him "Buck" in honor local 802 newspaper. We 're indebted to him for of his American Indian ancestry. the use of some of this material. 7