About Jim Lanigan
Lived 1902 – 1983 (aged 81). Jim Lanigan was an American jazz musician.
Jim Lanigan (January 30, 1902 - April 9, 1983) was an American jazz bassist and tubist.
Lanigan learned piano and violin as a child, and played piano and drums in the Austin High School Blue Friars before specializing on bass and tuba. Lanigan was a member of the Austin High Gang, and played with Husk O'Hare (1925), the Mound City Blue Blowers, Art Kassel (1926–27), the Chicago Rhythm Kings, the Jungle Kings, and the 1927 McKenzie and Condon's Chicagoans recordings.
From 1927 to 1931 he played with Ted Fio Rito and worked in orchestras for radio, including NBC Chicago. He played as a sideman in the 1930s and 1940s with Jimmy McPartland (1939), Bud Jacobson's Jungle Kings (1945), Bud Freeman (1946), and Danny Alvin (1950), but began to concentrate more on music outside of jazz at that time. He played with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 1937 to 1948, and did extensive work as a studio musician.
Lanigan never recorded a date as a leader. He played in reunion gigs for the Austin High Gang nearly up until the time of his death.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Jim Lanigan's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Jim Lanigan's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Jim Lanigan?
American musician (1902-1983)
When was Jim Lanigan born?
Jim Lanigan was born on 30 January 1902 in Chicago.
When did Jim Lanigan die?
Jim Lanigan died on 9 April 1983 in Elburn.
What was Jim Lanigan's occupation?
Jim Lanigan was a jazz musician.
What nationality was Jim Lanigan?
Jim Lanigan was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jim Lanigan. https://biography.guide/jim-lanigan/
MLA: "Jim Lanigan." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jim-lanigan/.
Chicago: "Jim Lanigan." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jim-lanigan/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:04 UTC