Ben Thigpen

Benjamin F. "Ben" Thigpen ( born November 16, 1908 in Laurel ( Mississippi); † October 5, 1971 ) was an American jazz drummer.

Thigpen received as a child piano lessons from his sister, then he moved to the drums. He first played in the band of Bobby Boswell, then moving to Chicago, where he took lessons at Jimmy Bertrand and dancers accompanied them. In 1926 he can be heard on recordings by Ma Rainey; to 1929, he played with the band Creole by Charlie Elgar, with whom he recorded in 1926, but also with Doc Cheatham. From 1930 to 1947 he was one of Andy Kirk's Clouds of Joy, with whom he has represented since 1936 on numerous recordings; next pulled him from 1938 Mary Lou Williams, who was the pianist of this group, added to recordings under her name. Then he led his own bands in St. Louis, but were not documented on record. He also served temporarily as Chairman of the local musicians' union. He was later to Dixieland Six of Singleton Palmer, with whom he went into the studio in 1964 and 1967. In addition, he taught Charles Bobo Shaw.

He is the father of musicians Bensid and Ed Thigpen.

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