Myron Carlton "Tiny" Bradshaw (September 23, 1907 – November 26, 1958) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

and

rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated within African American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predomina ...

bandleader, singer, composer, pianist, and drummer. His biggest hit was "Well Oh Well" in 1950, and the following year he recorded "

The Train Kept A-Rollin' "Train Kept A-Rollin'" (or "The Train Kept A-Rollin'") is a song first recorded by American jazz and rhythm and blues musician Tiny Bradshaw in 1951. Originally performed in the style of a jump blues, Bradshaw borrowed lyrics from an earlier son ...

", a song that was pivotal to the development of

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...

. Bradshaw co-wrote and sang on both records.

Early years

Myron Carlton Bradshaw was born in

Youngstown, Ohio Youngstown is a city in Mahoning County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Ohio, 11th-most populous city in Ohio with a population of 60,068 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Mahoning ...

, the son of Cicero P. Bradshaw and his wife Lillian Boggess. Bradshaw graduated from high school in Youngstown.Mohr, Kurt. 1961. Discography of Tiny Bradshaw. Jazz-Publications. Reinach, Switzerland. 16pp. After graduating from

Wilberforce University Wilberforce University (WU) is a private university in Wilberforce, Ohio. It is one of three historically black universities established before the American Civil War. Founded in 1856 by the Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC), it is named after ...

with a degree in psychology, Bradshaw turned to music for a living. In

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

, he sang and played drums with

Horace Henderson Horace W. Henderson (November 22, 1904 – August 29, 1988), the younger brother of Fletcher Henderson, was an American jazz pianist, organist, arranger, and bandleader. Henderson was born in Cuthbert, Georgia, United States. While later at ...

's campus oriented Collegians.Biography by Scott Yanow at AllMusic
Retrieved 3 April 2013 Then, in 1932, Bradshaw relocated to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, where he drummed for Marion Hardy's Alabamians, the

Charleston Bearcats Leon Alexander Anthony Abbey (May 7, 1900 – September 1975) was an American jazz violinist and bandleader. Biography He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 7, 1900, to Luther James Robert Abbey and Eva Lee Alexander. He started his care ...

(later the Savoy Bearcats), and the Mills Blue Rhythm Band, and sang for Luis Russell.

Bandleader

Tiny Bradshaw with saxophone players from his band

In 1934, Bradshaw formed his own swing orchestra, which recorded eight sides in two separate sessions for

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis after his acquisition of a gramophone manufacturer, The Decca Gramophone Company. It set up an American subsidiary under the Decca name, which bec ...

that year in New York City. The band's next recording date was in 1944 for Manor Records, at which point its music was closer to rhythm and blues. In 1947 Bradshaw recorded for

Savoy Records Savoy Records is an American record company and label established by Herman Lubinsky in 1942 in Newark, New Jersey. Savoy specialized in jazz, rhythm and blues, and gospel music. In September 2017, Savoy was acquired by Concord Bicycle Music. ...

under the auspices of label producer

Teddy Reig Theodore Samuel Reig (November 23, 1918 – September 29, 1984) was a self-described "jazz hustler" who worked as a record producer, A&R man, promoter, and artist manager from the 1940s through the 1970s. As a record producer, he captured the ...

. The band recorded extensively for the rhythm and blues market with King Records between late 1949 and early 1955, and had five hits on the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

R&B chart The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...

. His most successful record at the time was "Well Oh Well", which reached number two on the R&B chart in 1950 and remained on the chart for 21 weeks. Two follow-ups, "I'm Going To Have Myself A Ball" (no. 5, 1950) and "Walkin' The Chalk Line" (no. 10, 1951) also made the chart before a break of almost two years. What is now Bradshaw's best known recording was "

" (1951) — not a chart hit at the time — which passed from rhythm and blues history into

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

's legacy. The song was recorded by

Johnny Burnette John Joseph Burnette (March 25, 1934 – August 14, 1964) was an American singer and songwriter of rockabilly and pop music. In 1952, Johnny, his brother Dorsey Burnette, and their mutual friend Paul Burlison, formed the band that became ...

& The Rock and Roll Trio in 1956 and by

The Yardbirds The Yardbirds are an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1963. The band started the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton (1963–1965), Jeff Beck (1965–1966) and Jimmy Page (1966–1968), all of whom ...

with

Jeff Beck Geoffrey Arnold Beck (24 June 1944 – 10 January 2023) was an English musician. He rose to prominence as the guitarist of the rock band the Yardbirds, and afterwards founded and fronted the Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice. In 1975, ...

in 1965. It was covered again by

Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...

in 1974 and by

Motörhead Motörhead () were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1975 by bassist and lead vocalist Lemmy Kilmister, guitarist Larry Wallis and drummer Lucas Fox. Kilmister was the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band a ...

in 1977. Furthermore,

Jimmy Page James Patrick Page (born 9 January 1944) is an English musician and producer who achieved international success as the guitarist and founder of the Rock music, rock band Led Zeppelin. Page began his career as a studio session musician in Lo ...

reported in an interview that the first song played, at the very first rehearsal of what would become the English rock band

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1968. The band comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones (musician), John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham. With a he ...

was "

". Bradshaw returned to the R&B chart in 1953 with "Soft" (no.3), an instrumental later recorded by

Bill Doggett William Ballard Doggett (February 16, 1916 – November 13, 1996) was an American pianist and organist. He began his career playing swing music before transitioning into rhythm and blues. Best known for his instrumental compositions "Honky Tonk ...

, and "Heavy Juice" (no.9). Both of these 1953 hits featured Red Prysock on

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (whi ...

. Bradshaw's later career was hampered by severe health problems, including two

stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...

s, the first in 1954, that left him partially paralyzed. He made a return to touring in 1958. His last session that year resulted in two recordings, "

Short Shorts "Short Shorts" is a song written and performed by Tom Austin, Bill Crandell, Bill Dalton, and Bob Gaudio, members of The Royal Teens. It reached #2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, U.S. R&B chart and #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, U.S. pop chart in ...

" and "Bushes" (King 5114), which proved an unsuccessful attempt to reach out to the emerging teenage record market. Weakened by the successive strokes as well as the rigors of his profession, Bradshaw died in his adopted hometown of

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

from another stroke in 1958. He was 51 years old.

Legacy

Bradshaw is remembered for a string of rhythm and blues hits. As a bandleader, he was an invaluable mentor to important musicians and arrangers including

Sil Austin Sylvester Austin (September 17, 1929 – September 1, 2001) was an American jazz saxophonist. He had his biggest success in an overtly commercial rather than jazz vein, but he regarded Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young and Sonny Stitt as his major ...

Happy Caldwell Albert W. "Happy" Caldwell (sometimes incorrectly spelled Cauldwell) (July 25, 1903 in Chicago – December 29, 1978 in New York City) was an American jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist. Caldwell began on clarinet at age 16, playing in t ...

, Shad Collins, Wild Bill Davis, Talib Dawud,

Gil Fuller Walter Gilbert "Gil" Fuller (April 14, 1920, Los Angeles, California – May 26, 1994, San Diego, California) was an American jazz arranger. He is no relation to the jazz trumpeter and vocalist Walter "Rosetta" Fuller. In the 1930s and 1940s, F ...

Gigi Gryce Gigi Gryce (born George General Grice Jr.; November 28, 1925 – March 17, 1983), later in life changing his name to Basheer Qusim, was an American jazz saxophonist, flautist, clarinetist, composer, arranger, and educator. While his performing ...

, Big Nick Nicholas,

Russell Procope Russell Keith Procope (August 11, 1908 – January 21, 1981) was an American clarinetist and alto saxophonist who was a member of the Duke Ellington orchestra. Before Ellington Procope was born in New York City, United States, and grew up in ...

, Red Prysock, Curley Russell, Calvin "Eagle Eye" Shields,

Sonny Stitt Sonny Stitt (born Edward Hammond Boatner Jr.; February 2, 1924 – July 22, 1982) was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/hard bop idiom. Known for his warm tone, he was one of the best-documented saxophonists of his era, recording over ...

, Noble "Thin Man" Watts, and Shadow Wilson.

Discography

Singles

Decca Records *''194'' " The Darktown Strutter's Ball" / "

The Sheik Of Araby "The Sheik of Araby" is a song that was written in 1921 by Harry B. Smith and Francis Wheeler, with music by Ted Snyder. It was composed in response to the popularity of the Rudolph Valentino feature film '' The Sheik''. "The Sheik of Araby" w ...

" (1934) *''236'' "

Ol' Man River "Ol' Man River" is a show tune from the 1927 musical '' Show Boat'' with music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, who wrote the song in 1925. The song contrasts the struggles and hardships of African Americans with the endless, ...

" / "I'm A Ding Dong Daddy" (1934) *''317'' "Mister, Will You Serenade" / "

She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain" (sometimes referred to as "Coming 'Round the Mountain") is a traditional folk music, folk song often categorized as children's music. The song is derived from the Christian Spiritual (song), spiritual known ...

" (1934) *''456'' "Shout, Sister, Shout" / "

I Ain't Got Nobody "I Ain't Got Nobody" (sometimes referred to as "I'm So Sad and Lonely" or "I Ain't Got Nobody Much") is a popular song and copyrighted in 1915. It was first recorded by Marion Harris, and became a perennial standard, recorded many times over the ...

" (1934) Regis Records *''1010'' "Straighten Up And Fly Right" / "Bradshaw Bounce" (1944) *''1010'' "After You've Gone" / "Salt Lake City Bounce" (1944) *''1011'' "After You've Gone" / "Salt Lake City Bounce" eissued with the correct number(1944) Manor Records *''1052'' "Butterfly" / "Schoolday Blues" (aka P.S. 81 Blues) (1945) *''1082'' "After You've Gone" / "Salt City Bounce" eissue of Regis 1011(1945) *''1147'' "V-2" / "I Found Out Too Late" (1946) *''1149'' "Salt Lake City Bounce" / "After You've Gone" eissued with the correct title(1946) *''1181'' "Bride And Groom Boogie" / "Six Shooter Junction" (1946) Savoy Records *''650'' "These Things Are Love" / "I've Been Around" (1947) *''655'' "Take The Hands Off The Clock" / "If I Had A Million Dollars" (1947) King Records *''4337'' "Teardrops" / "Gravy Train" (1949) *''4357'' "Well Oh Well" / "I Hate You" (1950) *''4376'' "Boodie Green" / "After You're Gone" (1950) *''4397'' "I'm Going To Have Myself A Ball" / "Butterfly" (1950) *''4417'' "Breaking Up The House" / "If You Don't Love Me, Tell Me So" (1950) *''4427'' "Walk That Mess" / "One, Two, Three, Kick Blues" (1950) *''4447'' "Two Dry Bones On The Pantry Shelf" / "Brad's Blues" (1951) *''4457'' "Bradshaw Boogie" / "Walkin' The Chalk Line" (1951) *''4467'' "I'm A Hi-Ballin' Daddy" / "You Came By" (1951) *''4487'' "T-99" / "Long Time Baby" (1951) *''4497'' "

" / "Knockin' Blues" (1951) *''4537'' "Mailman's Sack" / "Newspaper Boy Blues" (1952) *''4547'' "Lay It On The Line" / "Rippin' And Runnin'" (1952) *''4577'' "Soft" / "Strange" (1952) *''4621'' "Heavy Juice" / "The Blues Came Pouring Down" (1953) *''4647'' "Free For All" / "Off And On" (1953) *''4664'' "Later" / "South Of The Orient" (1953) *''4687'' "Ping Pong" / "Powder Puff" (1953) *''4713'' "Don't Worry 'Bout Me" / "Overflow" (1954) *''4727'' "The Gypsy" / "Spider Web" (1954) *''4747'' "Stack Of Dollars" / "Cat Fruit" (1954) *''4757'' "Light" / "Choice" (1954) *''4777'' "Cat Nap" / "Stomping Room Only" (1955) *''4787'' "Pompton Turnpike" / "Come On" (1955) *''5114'' "

" / "Bushes" (1958)

Compilation albums

*''Breakin' Up The House'', Charly R&B #CRB-1092 P(1985); Charly R&B #CD-43 (1987) *''I'm A Hi-Ballin' Daddy'', Jukebox Lil #JB-621 P(1989) *''Walk That Mess! The Best Of The King Years'', Westside #WESA-824 (1998) *''The EP Collection...Plus'', See For Miles #SEECD-703 (1999) *''The Chronological Tiny Bradshaw 1934-1947'', Classics (Blues & Rhythm Series) #5011 (2002) *''The Chronological Tiny Bradshaw 1949-1951'', Classics (Blues & Rhythm Series) #5031 (2002) *''Breaking Up The House'', Proper Pairs #PVCD-101 (2002) *''Well Oh Well: The Very Best Of Tiny Bradshaw'', Collectables #COL-2880 (2004) *''Heavy Juice: The King Recordings 1950-55'', Rev-Ola #CRBAND-3 (2006) *''The Jumpin' Beat For The Hip Kids 1949-1955'', Jasmine #JASMCD-3252 (2023)

References

External links

Singles discography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bradshaw, Tiny 1907 births 1958 deaths American jazz drummers American jazz bandleaders American jazz singers American jazz pianists American male jazz pianists Jump blues musicians Drummers from Cincinnati Musicians from Youngstown, Ohio Decca Records artists Savoy Records artists King Records artists Manor Records artists 20th-century American singers 20th-century American drummers American male drummers 20th-century American pianists Jazz musicians from Ohio 20th-century American male musicians Savoy Bearcats members Wilberforce University alumni