# Big Bill Bissonnette

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**Big Bill Bissonnette** (February 5, 1937 – June 26, 2018)[1] was an American [jazz](/source/Jazz) trombonist, drummer, and record producer.

He was a strong advocate of [New Orleans jazz](/source/Dixieland) as played by veteran African-American musicians. In the 1960s, he led his own group, the Easy Riders Jazz Band, formed his own label, Jazz Crusade,[2] and organized northern tours for [Kid Thomas Valentine](/source/Kid_Thomas_Valentine), [George Lewis](/source/George_Lewis_(clarinetist)), and [Jim Robinson](/source/Jim_Robinson_(trombonist)). He produced over 100 recorded jazz sessions for Jazz Crusade and appeared as trombonist or drummer on over 50 recording sessions of New Orleans jazz.[citation needed]

The Easy Riders Jazz Band was one of the most acclaimed revival bands of the 1960s.[citation needed] Bissonnette brought [Sammy Rimington](/source/Sammy_Rimington) to the United States. During his career, he worked with [Alvin Alcorn](/source/Alvin_Alcorn), [Red Allen](/source/Red_Allen), [Jimmy Archey](/source/Jimmy_Archey), [Polo Barnes](/source/Polo_Barnes), [Albert Burbank](/source/Albert_Burbank), [Alex Bigard](/source/Alex_Bigard), [Don Ewell](/source/Don_Ewell), [Pops Foster](/source/Pops_Foster), [George Guesnon](/source/George_Guesnon), [Edmond Hall](/source/Edmond_Hall), [Bob Helm](/source/Bob_Helm), [Tuba Fats Lacen](/source/Tuba_Fats_Lacen), [George Lewis](/source/George_Lewis_(clarinetist)), [Fred Lonzo](/source/Fred_Lonzo), [Alcide Pavageau](/source/Alcide_Pavageau), [George Probert](/source/George_Probert), [Kid Sheik](/source/Kid_Sheik), [Zutty Singleton](/source/Zutty_Singleton), [Victoria Spivey](/source/Victoria_Spivey), [Gregg Stafford](/source/Gregg_Stafford), [Michael White](/source/Michael_White_(clarinetist)), and [Kid Thomas Valentine](/source/Kid_Thomas_Valentine).

Bissonnette came in first place as "New Young Artist" in the 1965 Jazzology Jazz Poll.[citation needed] Over 30 years later he placed No. 5 among all jazz trombonists in the same poll. After a period out of music, he published his memoir, *The Jazz Crusade*, in 1992, reactivated his label, and began to play again. He spent much of the 1990s documenting the British jazz scene with his "Best of the Brits" album series.[citation needed]

He retired in 2006 and died 12 years later, in June 2018 at the age of 81.[1]

## References

1. ["Big Bill Bissonnette, Musician and Founder of the Jazz Crusade Label has passed"](https://syncopatedtimes.com/big-bill-bissonnette-jazz-crusade-obituary). *Syncopatedtimes.com*. 27 June 2018.

1. ["The Jazz Crusade by Big Bill Bissonnette"](http://www.jazzcrusade.com/book.html). *Jazzcrusade.com*

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