Jim Cullum, Jr.

James Albert Cullum Jr., better known as Jim Cullum Jr. (September 20, 1941 – August 11, 2019), was an American jazz cornetist known for his contributions to Dixieland jazz. His father was Jim Cullum Sr., a clarinetist who led the Happy Jazz Band from 1962 to 1973. Jim Cullum Jr. led the Jim Cullum Jazz Band as its successor. His bandmates included Evan Christopher, Allan Vaché, and John Sheridan.

Early life James A. Cullum Jr. was born in Dallas, Texas, on September 20, 1941, to wholesale grocer and part-time musician, James Albert Cullum Sr., and Conoly . The family moved to San Antonio, Texas in 1953. and joined his father in the grocery business.

Career Happy Jazz and The Landing nightclub Cullum's enthusiasm and passion for performing jazz led to his father coming out of retirement from the music industry in 1962 to form the Happy Jazz Band with him. The band's music was heavily influenced by the hot jazz ensembles of the 1920s and '30s.

Jim Cullum Jazz Band

The Jim Cullum Jazz Band was an acoustic seven-piece traditional jazz ensemble. The band broadcast weekly performances from The Landing on the Public Radio International (US public radio) series Riverwalk Jazz from 1989 until 2012. Cullum and his band performed at such venues as Carnegie Hall, Preservation Hall, the White House, Wolf Trap, and the Kennedy Center. They appeared on Austin City Limits on several occasions, and for 25 years broadcast weekly live performances on over 200 radio stations in the US. The Jim Cullum Jazz Band performed over 300 jazz masses at houses of worship across the United States during its more than four-decade run.

Later life and death During his life, Cullum led what was described as an elegant-bohemian lifestyle by one jazz publication. Cullum died on August 11, 2019, at his residence in San Antonio.

Discography Look Over Here (1976) Jim Cullum's Happy Jazz Band (1979) Live and Swinging (1979) Live at the Memphis Jazz Festival (1982) 'Tis the Season... To Be Jammin'! (1984) Porgy & Bess (1985) Super Satch (1986) Fireworks! Red Hot & Blues (1989) Hooray for Hoagy! (1990) American Love Songs, Vol. 7 (1990) Shootin' the Agate (1992) Battle of the Bands: San Antonio vs. New Orleans (1992) New Year's All Star Jam (1993) Honky Tonk Train (1994) Bessie & the Blues (1995) Jim Cullum's Happy Jazz Band (1995) Hot Jazz for a Cool Yule (1996) Fireworks! Red Hot & Blues (1996) American Love Songs, Vol. 7 (1997) Deep River: The Spirit of Gospel Music in Jazz (1998) Cornet-Copia (2001) Chasin' the Blues (2006) 3 Kings of Jazz: The Music of Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke and Jelly Roll Morton (2008)