{{short description|American jazz guitarist (1905–1990)}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Bernard Addison | birth_name = Bernard Sylvester Addison | birth_date = {{birth date|1905|4|15}} | birth_place = Annapolis, Maryland, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|1990|12|18|1905|4|15}} | death_place = Rockville Centre, New York, U.S. | genre = Jazz, swing | occupation = Musician | instrument = Guitar | years_active = 1920–1970s }}
'''Bernard Sylvester Addison''' (April 15, 1905<ref name="LarkinJazz">{{cite book|title=The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-580-8|page=8}}</ref> – December 18, 1990) was an American jazz guitarist.
==Career== Addison was born in Annapolis, Maryland.<ref name="LarkinJazz" /> At an early age, he learned mandolin and violin.
== Career == After moving to Washington, D.C. in 1920, Addison played banjo, first with Claude Hopkins.<ref name="LarkinJazz" /> He then moved to New York City<ref name="LarkinJazz" /> and worked with Sonny Thompson and recorded for the first time in 1924. During the 1920s, he dropped banjo for acoustic guitar. In the 1920s and 1930s, he played with Louis Armstrong, Adelaide Hall, Fletcher Henderson, Bubber Miley, Art Tatum, and Fats Waller, and recorded with Red Allen, Coleman Hawkins, Horace Henderson, Freddie Jenkins, Sara Martin, Jelly Roll Morton, and Mamie Smith.<ref name="Great">{{cite book |last1=Yanow |first1=Scott |title=The Great Jazz Guitarists |date=2013 |publisher=Backbeat |location=San Francisco |isbn=978-1-61713-023-6 |page=3}}</ref>
In 1936, John Mills of the Mills Brothers died, and Addison replaced him on guitar.<ref name="LarkinJazz"/> For two years he toured and recorded with the Mills Brothers, increasing his popularity. After departing the Mills Brothers, he had little trouble finding work. He recorded with Benny Carter and Mezz Mezzrow.<ref name="LarkinJazz"/> He played with Stuff Smith and recorded with Billie Holiday. In 1940, he recorded with Armstrong and Sidney Bechet. He began to lead bands until he was drafted during World War II. In the late 1950s, he reunited with Henderson and played guitar for the Ink Spots.<ref name="LarkinJazz"/> He performed at the Newport Jazz Festival with Eubie Blake<ref name="LarkinJazz"/> in 1960 and recorded a solo album. The rest of his career he spent teaching.<ref name="Great" />
Addison's only album as a leader, ''Pete's Last Date'', was reissued under the name of saxophonist Pete Brown.<ref name="Yanow">{{cite web |last1=Yanow |first1=Scott |title=Pete's Last Date - Pete Brown |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/petes-last-date-mw0001886066 |website=AllMusic |accessdate=2 February 2019 }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106889 Bernard Addison recordings] at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Addison, Bernard}} Category:1905 births Category:1990 deaths Category:American jazz guitarists Category:American male guitarists Category:20th-century American guitarists Category:20th-century American male musicians Category:American male jazz musicians Category:The Chocolate Dandies members Category:African-American jazz guitarists