biography
| name: |
Berigan, Bunny
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originally Roland Bernard
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| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1908–42)
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| biography:
| Swing trumpeter and singer, born in Hilbert, Wisconsin, USA. He epitomized the Jazz Era, starring in dance bands at the University of Wisconsin as an undergraduate - tall, dark, and handsome playing love songs in a raccoon coat. He won featured billing with several orchestras including Benny Goodman (1935–6, where he had his first hits ‘Sometimes I'm Happy’ and ‘King Porter Stomp’), and twice with Tommy Dorsey (1937 with a hit song ‘Marie’, and 1940). Before and after the stints with Dorsey, he led his own band, but in spite of a huge hit playing and singing ‘I Can't Get Started With You’, his business sense was hopeless, even when he was sober. His health disintegrated, and he died at 34. |
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