Count Basie is one of the most popular figures of jazz music. Born as William Basie on August 21, 1904 in Red Bank, New Jersey, he got his first piano lessons from his mother as a child. Still very young, Basie would play in gigs that came his way; however, it was not until he went to Harlem, New York that he became a polished pianist and professional musician. It was also in Harlem where he learned to play the organ from Fats Waller. Basie began to tour on the Keith and TOBA vaudeville circuits as a solo pianist, accompanist and music director while in New York.Check out this link here.

In 1927, Basie was left stranded in Kansas City. He stayed back and played in silent-movie theaters before joining Walter Page’s Blue Devils the following year. He would eventually join Bennie Moten’s Kansas City Orchestra after a short period of time. In 1935, however, Basie would form his own big band after Moten’s death. Some members of Moten’s orchestra also joined Basie’s group. The band played at the Reno Club and was broadcasted on the radio as well. The broadcasts led the Decca Record Company to give the group a contract. They would sign on and quickly become one of the leading bands of the swing era. It was around this time that Basie acquired the name “Count.”

Due to financial issues in 1950, the Count Basie Orchestra had to disband. Basie would not form another big band until 1952. He then found success once again, and the band went on to record with such great artists as Frank Sinatra and Duke Ellington. He was looked up to by young musicians and won many accolades for his music. He and his wife, Catherine, had one daughter. Count Basie died of cancer in 1984.