Charlie Parker (1920 1955)
Charlie Parker spent his childhood in Kansas City, Missouri, one of the hottest jazz spots in the country. His father was looking for jobs as a song and dance man so he moved the family there to find work. Unable to find a job, Charlie's dad left to go work on the railroad. He had to travel long distances and was gone a lot of the time. In the end, he left the family altogether and Charlie's mom had to provide for the two of them. Sometimes, she worked two or three jobs to give Charlie everything he needed and wanted. When his mom worked at night, Charlie would go out and listen to jazz around town.
Charlie started playing an alto saxophone when he was twelve years old. He taught himself by listening to jazz musicians. He was able to play music and joined his first band when he was 14. Because he never had lessons or formal training, he often struggled playing music. Eventually, with proper training and practice Charlie mastered the......
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Approximate Word Count: 547
Approximate Pages: 3 (260 words per double-spaced page) |