John Chilton

Although John Chilton worked as a trumpeter with Dixieland, swing, and mainstream groups, it was as an author that he was most significant. Chilton's Who's Who of Jazz contains many previously unknown details about jazz musicians born before 1920. His many other works include one of the great jazz biographies (Sidney Bechet: The Wizard of Jazz) and books on Louis Armstrong (Salute to Satchmo), Billie Holiday (Billie's Blues), Bob Crosby's Bob Cats (Stomp Off, Let's Go) and Coleman Hawkins. Chilton died in London on February 25, 2016 at the age of 83. ~ Scott Yanow