William Henry Webb, also known as Chick Webb, was a swing and jazz musician as well as a leader of bands. He lived from February 10, 1905 to June 16, 1939. Chick Webb was a symbol of human spirit triumph in jazz and life. Webb was small and slender, nearly a dwarf, with a large face, broad shoulders and a narrow back. He battled congenital tuberculosis to become one the best big band drummers and band leaders. He sat high on a platform and used custom-made pedals and goose-neck holders for his bass drum. This allowed him to create thunderous solos that were complex and energetic. William Henry Webb purchased his first drum set with the money he earned as a newsboy. He also started playing on pleasure boats. After moving to New York in 1995, Webb led several bands in different clubs before finally settling down at the Savoy in 1931 for long-running runs. Benny Carter, Johnny Hodges and others were part of the Webb band’s early days. However, during its peak period in the late ’30s, the Webb band was unusually lacking in major soloists. Louis Jordan, a young alto sax player, made the most impression. The band made up the difference with their crisp ensemble sound, Webb’s disciplined and ferociously driven drum pyrotechnics, trumpeter Taft Jordan’s impressions Louis Armstrong and, most importantly, strong compositions by Edgar Sampson (Blue Lou” and Stomping at Savoy). After Ella Fitzgerald won a talent contest at Apollo Theatre in 1935, Webb hired her as his legal guardian and rebuilt his show around her. He also recorded his biggest hit record, “A Tisket-A-Tasket” in 1938. The band’s popularity grew due to its reputation as a giant-killer during the Savoy battles, and a string of Decca 78s featuring irresistible songs like “T’aint What you Do (It’s how that You Do It),” and “Tasket’s B-side,” “Liza.” Webb began to lose his health and he died after a major surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. His last words were “I’m sorry, .”).”. Fitzgerald took over the lead role in the band after Webb’s passing. The band finally disbanded in 1942. Text contributed by users is available under Creative Commons By–SA License. It may also be available under GNU FDL.
