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Joe Sullivan

Michael Joseph O'Sullivan (November 4, 1906 – October 13, 1971) was an American jazz pianist.

Sullivan was the ninth child of Irish immigrant parents. He studied classical piano for 12 years and at age 17, he began to play popular music in silent-movie theaters, on radio stations, and then with the dance orchestras, where he was exposed to jazz. He graduated from the Chicago Conservatory and was an important contributor to the Chicago jazz scene of the 1920s. Sullivan's recording career began towards the end of 1927, when he joined McKenzie and Condon's Chicagoans. Other musicians in his circle included Jimmy McPartland, Frank Teschemacher, Bud Freeman, Jim Lanigan and Gene Krupa. In 1932 he was a member of recording group the Rhythmakers. In 1933, he joined Bing Crosby as his accompanist, recording and making many radio broadcasts.

He contracted tuberculosis in 1936, and while he was convalescing at a sanitarium in Monrovia, California in 1937, Crosby organized and appeared in a five-hour benefit for him at the Pan-Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles on May 23, 1937 in front of an audience of six thousand. The show was broadcast over two different radio stations, with fourteen bands attending (including those led by Woody Herman, Ray Noble, Jimmy Dorsey, Jimmy Grier, Louis Prima, Harry Owens, and Victor Young) and other performers included Connie Boswell, Johnny Mercer, Red Norvo, and Ella Logan. Approximately $3,000 was raised for Sullivan.

After suffering for two years with tuberculosis, he briefly re-joined Bing Crosby in 1938 and the Bob Crosby Orchestra in 1939. In 1940, when leading Joe Sullivan's Cafe Society Orchestra, he had a minor hit with "I've Got a Crush on You".

By the 1950s, Sullivan was largely forgotten, playing solo in San Francisco. Marital difficulties and excessive drinking caused Sullivan to become increasingly unreliable and unable to keep a steady job, either as band member or soloist. In 1963, Sullivan met up with old colleagues Jack and Charlie Teagarden plus Pee Wee Russell when they performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival.

The British poet (and jazz pianist) Roy Fisher celebrated Sullivan's playing with a poem, "The Thing About Joe Sullivan", regarded by some critics as one of the best poems about jazz. Fisher also used that title for a book of his selected poems, because (he said) he felt Sullivan was a neglected master who deserved to have his name on the cover of a book.

Joe Sullivan died in San Francisco in October 1971, at the age of 64.

Birth and Death Data: Born November 4, 1906 (Chicago), Died October 13, 1971 (San Francisco)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1927 - 1946

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 57 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 66074 10-in. 8/11/1939 Friar's point shuffle Eddie Condon instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 66075 10-in. 8/11/1939 Someday sweetheart Eddie Condon instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 66220 10-in. 8/29/1939 Boogie woogie Maxixe Bob Crosby Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 66221 10-in. 8/29/1939 Blue orchids Bob Crosby Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 66222 10-in. 8/29/1939 The world is waiting for the sunrise Bob Crosby Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 66292 10-in. 9/6/1939 What used to was used to was Bob Crosby Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 66293 10-in. 9/6/1939 Lilacs in the rain Bob Crosby Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 66539 10-in. 9/11/1939 can I help it? Bob Crosby Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 66540 10-in. 9/11/1939 The starlit hour Bob Crosby Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 66601 10-in. 9/18/1939 Till we meet again Bob Crosby's Bob Cats instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 66602 10-in. 9/18/1939 The love nest Bob Crosby's Bob Cats instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 66662 10-in. 9/25/1939 Washington and Lee swing Bob Crosby's Bob Cats instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 66663 10-in. 9/25/1939 Peruna Bob Crosby's Bob Cats instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 66664 10-in. 9/25/1939 The love nest Bob Crosby's Bob Cats instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 66665 10-in. 9/25/1939 Feather your nest Bob Crosby's Bob Cats instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 66666 10-in. 9/25/1939 The little man who wasn't there Bob Crosby Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 66667 10-in. 9/25/1939 (Why couldn't it last) Last night Bob Crosby Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 66702 10-in. 10/2/1939 Air mail stomp Bob Crosby Orchestra instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 73279 1/16/1946 After you've gone Bing Crosby instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 119658 10-in. 3/28/1941 Summertime Joe Sullivan instrumentalist, piano  
Decca DLA 6 10-in. 8/8/1934 I love you truly Bing Crosby instrumentalist, piano  
Decca DLA 9 10-in. 8/8/1934 Someday sweetheart Bing Crosby instrumentalist, piano  
Decca DLA 72 10-in. 11/9/1934 Love is just around the corner Bing Crosby instrumentalist, piano  
Decca DLA 224 10-in. 8/8/1935 My little pride and joy Joe Sullivan instrumentalist, piano  
Decca DLA 225 10-in. 8/8/1935 Little Rock getaway Joe Sullivan instrumentalist, piano  
(Results 26-50 of 57 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Sullivan, Joe," accessed November 1, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104215.

Sullivan, Joe. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 1, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104215.

"Sullivan, Joe." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104215

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