About Bert Kelly
Lived 1882 – 1968 (aged 85–86). Bert Kelly was an American jazz musician and bandleader.
Bert Kelly (June 2, 1882 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa – January 1968 in Long Beach, New York) was an American musician, who pioneered jazz as a banjoist, bandleader, educator, promoter, night club owner, and night club operator. After professional stints in Seattle and San Francisco, Kelly moved to Chicago in 1914 where he flourished a banjoist, bandleader, and promoter. In 1915 — before the U.S. prohibition — he founded and operated a Chicago speakeasy called "Bert Kelly's Stables," where patrons were introduced to early jazz.
Kelly as a musician
Kelly's band Early gigs Kelly's first professional engagement was in Seattle Washington, around 1896. He moved to San Francisco around 1899.
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Important facts
Related people
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Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Bert Kelly's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Bert Kelly?
American jazz musician and bandleader
When was Bert Kelly born?
Bert Kelly was born on 2 June 1882 in Cedar Rapids.
When did Bert Kelly die?
Bert Kelly died in 1968 in Long Beach.
What was Bert Kelly's occupation?
Bert Kelly was a jazz musician and bandleader.
What nationality was Bert Kelly?
Bert Kelly was American.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Bert Kelly (jazz musician)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Bert Kelly. https://biography.guide/bert-kelly/
MLA: "Bert Kelly." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/bert-kelly/.
Chicago: "Bert Kelly." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/bert-kelly/.
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