Bullock, Chick (Charles)
Bullock, Chick (Charles)
Bullock, Chick (Charles), jazz-pop singer; b. Butte, Mont., Sept. 16, 1908; d. Calif., Sept. 15, 1981. He was one of the most recorded singers of all time. He began singing in a vaudeville theater to accompany the projection of series of photographs and also took small acting roles in silent films. Success with his first recording coupled with a disfiguring eye ailment caused him to concentrate on radio and recording work. Between 1930 and 1941, he made hundreds of recordings, many as leader of his studio band, the Levee Loungers. Among the sidemen in this group at various times were several major jazz musicians, including Bunny Berigan, Bill Coleman, Jack Teagarden, the Dorsey brothers, Joe Venuti, and Eddie Lang. “Back Home Again in Indiana” (1940) is a particularly good example of a fine ensemble. Bullock also recorded as a sideman with others, notably Duke Ellington (1931) and Adrian Rollini. He seemingly shunned all personal publicity. He moved to the West Coast c. 1945 and was engaged primarily in real estate; he appeared on a “Tribute to Bunny Berigan” radio program in the mid-1950s. By the 1970s, he was retired.
Discography
“Back Home Indiana” (1940).
Bibliography
P. Murphy, Chick Bullock: A Discography of His Recordings (Melbourne, Australia, 1983).
—John Chilton, Who’s Who of Jazz/Lewis Porter