Aaron Bridgers (January 10, 1918 – November 3, 2003) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Bridgers grew up in

Winston-Salem, North Carolina Winston-Salem is a city in Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the List of municipalities in North Carolina, fifth-most populous ...

where he learned to play piano and where he met

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...

. Bridgers had moved to New York City, working side jobs and continuing to study piano when Ellington introduced him to

Billy Strayhorn William Thomas Strayhorn (November 29, 1915 – May 31, 1967) was an American jazz composer, pianist, lyricist, and arranger who collaborated with bandleader and composer Duke Ellington for nearly three decades. His compositions include "Take the ...

. Soon after Bridgers and Strayhorn moved in together becoming lovers from 1939 until Bridgers's move to

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

in 1947. Bridgers is featured in the

Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and activist. He was the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Paul Newman, numerous awards ...

film '' Paris Blues'' (1961).

References

External links

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See Jazz in Paris with Aaron Bridgers and Art Simmons in The Living Room
1918 births 2003 deaths American jazz pianists American male jazz pianists African-American LGBTQ people American gay musicians 20th-century American pianists LGBTQ people from North Carolina 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century American LGBTQ people 21st-century American LGBTQ people 20th-century African-American musicians {{US-jazz-pianist-stub