Claiborne Williams (December 31, 1868 – October 10, 1952) was an American musician, bandleader, and music teacher.

Life and career

Claiborne Williams was born in

Ascension Parish Ascension Parish (; ) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 126,500. Its parish seat is Donaldsonville. The parish was created in 1807. Ascension Parish is part of the Baton Rouge metr ...

near

Donaldsonville, Louisiana Donaldsonville (historically ) is a city in, and the parish seat of Ascension Parish, Louisiana, Ascension Parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Located along the River Road of the west bank of the Mississippi River, it is a part of the Baton ...

. As a young man, he worked in

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

for the Werlein Music Company on Canal Street, where he repaired musical instruments. At the age of 17 he led a band at the Wilbert Theatre in

Baton Rouge Baton Rouge ( ; , ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It had a population of 227,470 at the 2020 United States census, making it List of municipalities in Louisiana, Louisiana's second-m ...

. At 18 he was also leader of the St. Joseph Brass Band, and was a music teacher in the nearby towns of

Donaldsonville Donaldsonville (historically ) is a city in, and the parish seat of Ascension Parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Located along the River Road of the west bank of the Mississippi River, it is a part of the Baton Rouge metropolitan statistic ...

. Notable pupils of Williams were trombone player Louis Nelson, and Oscar "Papa" Celestin; later Louis Nelson played a few dates with Claiborne's orchestra. Williams was primarily a violinist, but taught all instruments. He charged fifty cents for a lesson lasting from half an hour to an hour. Although he travelled around the USA, Canada and even Europe as leader of "Billy Kersand and his Minstrel Troupe", most of his musical career was spent in and around

. Williams' musical career continued well into the late 1930s early 1940s. Members of the Claiborne Williams band included famed

Dave Bartholomew David Louis Bartholomew (December 24, 1918 – June 23, 2019) was an American musician, bandleader, composer, arrangement, arranger, and record producer. He was prominent in the music of New Orleans throughout the second half of the 20th century ...

, "Papa" John Joseph, Richard Jones, and Walter Lewis. Claiborne Williams died at the age of 83 on October 10, 1952, in a New Orleans hospital. He was buried in a

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

cemetery.

Footnotes

References

*Koenig, Karl. ''Musical History of Donaldsonville & Claiborne Williams, 1868-1952: Gentlemen Musician of Donaldsonville, LA.: leader, St. Joseph Brass and String Band'', Basin Street Press, (1996) - B0006QGUEI

External links

Picture of Claiborne Williams
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Claiborne Musicians from Louisiana People from Donaldsonville, Louisiana 1868 births 1952 deaths African-American Catholics