Norma Louise Teagarden (April 28, 1911 – June 6, 1996) 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 ...

pianist. She was born in

Vernon, Texas Vernon is a city and the county seat of Wilbarger County, Texas, United States. and as of the 2010 census had a population of 11,002. History The original town was called Eagle Springs by the indigenous community as early as 1858. After t ...

, United States, into a musical family that consisted of her mother Helen, who played

ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that had its peak from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its Syncopation, syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers ...

piano and taught; her brothers Charlie, a trumpeter, Clois, a drummer, and

Jack Jack may refer to: Places * Jack, Alabama, US, an unincorporated community * Jack, Missouri, US, an unincorporated community * Jack County, Texas, a county in Texas People and fictional characters * Jack (given name), a male given name, incl ...

, a trombonist. She performed with her brother Jack during the 1940s and 1950s. She performed on piano and violin during the early part of her career, which began in Oklahoma City. In the 1920s, she moved to New Mexico and worked in

territory bands Territory bands were dance bands that crisscrossed specific regions of the United States from the 1920s through the 1960s. Beginning in the 1920s, the bands typically had 8 to 12 musicians. These bands typically played one-nighters, six or seven n ...

, returned to Oklahoma City in the 1930s, and then moved to California in the 1940s. She toured with her brother Jack from 1944–1947 and from 1952–1955. Outside the Teagarden family, she worked with

Ben Pollack Benjamin "Ben" Pollack (June 22, 1903 – June 7, 1971) was an American drummer and bandleader from the mid-1920s through the swing music, swing era. His eye for talent led him to employ musicians such as Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden, Glenn Mil ...

Matty Matlock Julian Clifton "Matty" Matlock (April 27, 1907 – June 14, 1978) was an American Dixieland jazz clarinettist, saxophonist and arranger. Early years Matlock was born in Paducah, Kentucky, April 27, 1907, and raised in Nashville beginning in 1917. ...

, and

Ray Bauduc Ray Bauduc (June 18, 1906 – January 8, 1988) was an American jazz drummer best known for his work with the Bob Crosby Orchestra and their band-within-a-band, the Bobcats, between 1935 and 1942. He is also known for his shared composition of " ...

. She eventually settled in San Francisco, where she often performed on solo piano, or with bandleader

Turk Murphy Melvin Edward Alton "Turk" Murphy (December 16, 1915 – May 30, 1987) was an American trombonist and bandleader, who played traditional and Dixieland jazz. Biography He was born in Palermo, California, United States. Murphy served in the Navy ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Teagarden, Norma 1911 births 1996 deaths People from Vernon, Texas American jazz pianists American women jazz pianists 20th-century American women pianists 20th-century American pianists Jazz musicians from Texas