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{{short description|American singer}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2011}}

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{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox musical artist
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Fats Pichon
| name = Fats Pichon
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| birth_name = Walter Gabriel Pichon
| birth_name = Walter Gabriel Pichon
| alias =
| alias =
| birth_place = [[New Orleans, Louisiana]], [[United States]]
| birth_place = [[New Orleans]], Louisiana, United States
| birth_date = {{birth date|1906|4|3}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1906|4|3}}
| death_place = [[Chicago, Illinois]], U.S.
| death_place = [[Chicago, Illinois]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1967|2|25|1906|4|3}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1967|2|25|1906|4|3}}
| origin =
| origin =
| instrument = [[Vocals]], [[piano]]
| instrument = Vocals, piano
| genre = [[Jazz]]
| genre = [[Jazz]]
| occupation = [[Singer]], [[pianist]]
| occupation = Singer, pianist
| years_active =
| years_active =
| label =
| label =
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| past_members =
| past_members =
}}
}}

'''Walter Gabriel "Fats" Pichon''' (April 3, 1906<!-- his given birthyear; may have been somewhat older --> &ndash; February 25, 1967)<ref name="bare">{{cite book| first1= Bob| last1= Eagle| first2= Eric S.| last2= LeBlanc| year= 2013| title= Blues - A Regional Experience| publisher= Praeger Publishers| location= Santa Barbara| pages=169 | isbn= 978-0313344237}}</ref> was an American [[jazz]] [[piano|pianist]], [[singer]], [[bandleader]], and [[songwriter]].
'''Walter Gabriel Pichon''' (April 3, 1906<!-- his given birthyear; may have been somewhat older --> – February 25, 1967)<ref name="bare">{{cite book| first1= Bob| last1= Eagle| first2= Eric S.| last2= LeBlanc| year= 2013| title= Blues – A Regional Experience| publisher= Praeger Publishers| location= Santa Barbara| pages=169 | isbn= 978-0313344237}}</ref> professionally known as '''Fats Pichon''', was an American [[jazz]] pianist, singer, bandleader, and songwriter.


==Biography==
==Biography==
Pichon was born and raised in [[New Orleans, Louisiana]], and began playing piano in his childhood. He also played [[baritone horn]] in [[brass band]]s in his youth, already a professional musician by 1920.
Pichon was born and raised in [[New Orleans]], Louisiana, and began playing piano in his childhood. He also played [[baritone horn]] in [[brass band]]s in his youth, already a professional musician by 1920.


He first went north about 1922, playing at various venues in [[New York City]] and [[New Jersey]] before settling in [[Boston]] for a few years where he studied at the [[New England Conservatory|New England Conservatory of Music]]. After touring the [[United States]] and [[Mexico]] with various bands in the mid-1920s, he settled again his home town of New Orleans for the later part of the decade, leading bands under his own name at dance halls and on river boats on the [[Mississippi River]]. On visits back to New York he made some recordings, mostly as a vocalist on novelty numbers, with [[Luis Russell]] and other New Orleans groups.
He first went north about 1922, playing at various venues in New York City and [[New Jersey]] before settling in [[Boston]] for a few years where he studied at the [[New England Conservatory|New England Conservatory of Music]].<ref name="AMG">{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/walter-fats-pichon-mn0001217277|title=Walter "Fats" Pichon &#124; Biography & History|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=March 10, 2021}}</ref> After touring the United States and Mexico with various bands in the mid-1920s, he settled again in his home town of New Orleans for the later part of the decade, leading bands under his own name at dance halls and on river boats on the [[Mississippi River]].<ref name="AMG"/> On visits back to New York he made some recordings, mostly as a vocalist on novelty numbers, with [[Luis Russell]] and other New Orleans groups.<ref name="LarkinBlues">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Guinness Who's Who of Blues]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Guinness Publishing]]|date=1995|edition=Second|isbn=0-85112-673-1|pages=292/3}}</ref>


In the 1930s Fats Pichon led what some considered the best [[big band]] in New Orleans; it also made Mississippi Riverboat excursions. Musicians included young [[Dave Bartholomew]]. This band never recorded. In the 1940s he began a long gig as the house pianist at ''The Old Absinthe House'', a popular venue on Bourbon Street in the [[French Quarter]], where he remained until about 1960, with occasional tours of other parts of the U.S., [[Latin America]], and the [[Caribbean]]. Pichon moved into the role of Eddie the Waiter, replacing comedian Eddie Green on the NBC weekly radio comedy ''Duffy’s Tavern'' during the show's last season, 1950-1951. After several episodes the waiter's name was changed from 'Eddie' to 'Fats'.
In the 1930s, Fats Pichon led what some considered the best [[big band]] in New Orleans; it also made Mississippi Riverboat excursions. Musicians included young [[Dave Bartholomew]]. This band never recorded. In the 1940s he began a long gig as the house pianist at ''The Old Absinthe House'', a popular venue on Bourbon Street in the [[French Quarter]], where he remained until about 1960,<ref name="LarkinBlues"/> with occasional tours of other parts of the U.S., Latin America, and the [[Caribbean]]. Pichon moved into the role of Eddie the Waiter, replacing comedian Eddie Green on the NBC weekly radio comedy ''Duffy's Tavern'' during the show's last season, 1950–1951. After several episodes the waiter's name was changed from 'Eddie' to 'Fats'.


He died in Chicago in 1967, aged 60.<ref name="bare"/>
He died in Chicago in 1967, aged 60.<ref name="bare"/>
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[[Category:1967 deaths]]
[[Category:1967 deaths]]
[[Category:Jazz musicians from New Orleans]]
[[Category:Jazz musicians from New Orleans]]
[[Category:African-American musicians]]
[[Category:African-American pianists]]
[[Category:American jazz bandleaders]]
[[Category:American jazz bandleaders]]
[[Category:American jazz pianists]]
[[Category:American jazz pianists]]
[[Category:American male pianists]]
[[Category:American male jazz pianists]]
[[Category:American jazz singers]]
[[Category:American jazz singers]]
[[Category:Louisiana Creole people]]
[[Category:Louisiana Creole people]]
[[Category:1906 births]]
[[Category:1906 births]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American pianists]]
[[Category:20th-century American pianists]]
[[Category:Singers from Louisiana]]
[[Category:Singers from Louisiana]]
[[Category:20th-century male musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century Jazz musicians from New Orleans]]
[[Category:Male jazz musicians]]

Latest revision as of 16:37, 30 September 2024

Fats Pichon
Fats Pichon playing at the Old Absinthe House, 1950s
Fats Pichon playing at the Old Absinthe House, 1950s
Background information
Birth nameWalter Gabriel Pichon
Born(1906-04-03)April 3, 1906
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
DiedFebruary 25, 1967(1967-02-25) (aged 60)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Singer, pianist
Instrument(s)Vocals, piano

Walter Gabriel Pichon (April 3, 1906 – February 25, 1967)[1] professionally known as Fats Pichon, was an American jazz pianist, singer, bandleader, and songwriter.

Biography

[edit]

Pichon was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, and began playing piano in his childhood. He also played baritone horn in brass bands in his youth, already a professional musician by 1920.

He first went north about 1922, playing at various venues in New York City and New Jersey before settling in Boston for a few years where he studied at the New England Conservatory of Music.[2] After touring the United States and Mexico with various bands in the mid-1920s, he settled again in his home town of New Orleans for the later part of the decade, leading bands under his own name at dance halls and on river boats on the Mississippi River.[2] On visits back to New York he made some recordings, mostly as a vocalist on novelty numbers, with Luis Russell and other New Orleans groups.[3]

In the 1930s, Fats Pichon led what some considered the best big band in New Orleans; it also made Mississippi Riverboat excursions. Musicians included young Dave Bartholomew. This band never recorded. In the 1940s he began a long gig as the house pianist at The Old Absinthe House, a popular venue on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, where he remained until about 1960,[3] with occasional tours of other parts of the U.S., Latin America, and the Caribbean. Pichon moved into the role of Eddie the Waiter, replacing comedian Eddie Green on the NBC weekly radio comedy Duffy's Tavern during the show's last season, 1950–1951. After several episodes the waiter's name was changed from 'Eddie' to 'Fats'.

He died in Chicago in 1967, aged 60.[1]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues – A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 169. ISBN 978-0313344237.
  2. ^ a b "Walter "Fats" Pichon | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Colin Larkin, ed. (1995). The Guinness Who's Who of Blues (Second ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 292/3. ISBN 0-85112-673-1.
[edit]
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