Willie Gary "Bunk" Johnson (c. 1879/1889–July 7, 1949) was a prominent early New Orleans jazz trumpet player in the early years of the 20th century who enjoyed a revived career in the 1940s. 1879 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1889 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... July 7 is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 177 days remaining. ... 1949 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... Jazz is a musical art form originally characterized by blue notes, syncopation, swing, call and response, polyrhythms, and improvisation. ... Trumpeter performing with the United States Air Forces in Europe Band The trumpet is the highest brass instrument in register, above the tuba, euphonium, trombone, sousaphone, and french horn. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... // Events and trends The 1940s were dominated by World War II, the most destructive armed conflict in history. ...

Bunk gave the year of his birth as 1879, although there is speculation that he may have actually been younger by as much as a decade.

Bunk received lessons from Adam Olivier and began playing professionally in Olivier's orchestra. Bunk probably played a few adolescent jobs with Buddy Bolden, but was not a regular member of Bolden's Band for any length of time (contrary to Bunk's claim). Bunk was regarded as one of the top trumpeters in New Orleans in the years 1905 - 1915, in between repeatedly leaving the city to tour with Minstrel shows and Circus bands. After he failed to show up for a New Orleans Mardi Gras parade job in 1915 he learned the krewe members intended to do him bodily harm, and so he left town, touring with shows and then settling in New Iberia, Louisiana. In 1931 he lost his trumpet and front teeth when a violent fight broke out at a dance in Rayne, Louisiana, putting and end to his playing. He thereafter worked in manual labor, occasionally giving music lessons on the side when he could. Buddy Bolden Buddy Bolden (September 6, 1877 _ November 4, 1930) was a trumpeter and the first New Orleans jazz musician ever to come to prominence. ... 1905 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1915 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Revelers, Frenchmen Street, Faubourg Marigny. ... 1915 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... A Krewe is an organization that puts on a parade and or a ball for the New Orleans Carnival season (Mardi Gras). ... New Iberia is a small city located in Iberia Parish, Louisiana. ... 1931 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Rayne is a city located in Acadia Parish, Louisiana. ...

In 1938 and 1939 the researchers/writers of the first book of jazz history, Jazzmen, interviewed several prominent musicians of the time, including Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, and Clarence Williams, who spoke very highly of Bunk in the old days in New Orleans. The writers tracked down Bunk's address, and traded several letters with him, where Bunk recalled (and possibly embellished) his early career. Bunk stated that he could play again if he only had new teeth and a new trumpet. A collection was taken up by writers and musicians, and Bunk was fitted with a set of dentures and given a new trumpet, and in 1942 made his first recordings. 1938 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1939 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Louis Armstrongs stage personality matched his flashy trumpet as captured in this photo by William P. Gottlieb. ... Sidney Bechet (May 14, 1897 - May 14, 1959) was a Jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. ... Clarence Williams ( November 8, 1893 - November 6, 1965) was a Jazz pianist, composer, promoter, vocalist, and publisher. ... This article is about the year. ...

These first recordings propelled Bunk (along with clarinetist George Lewis) into public attention, attracting a cult following. Bunk and his band played in New Orleans, San Francisco, Boston, and New York City and made many more recordings. Bunk's work in the 1940s show why he was well regarded by his fellow musicians Рon his best days playing with great imagination, subtlety, and beauty Рas well as suggesting why he had not achieved fame earlier, for he was unpredictable, temperamental, with a passive-aggressive streak and a fondness for drinking alcoholic beverages to the point of serious impairment. George Lewis born 13 July 1900 died 31 December 1969 was a jazz clarinetist who achieved his greatest fame and influence in his later decades of life. ... The downtown San Francisco skyline, looking east from the central part of the city. ... Alternative meanings: Boston (disambiguation) The 18th-century Old State House in Boston is surrounded by tall buildings of the 19th and 20th centuries. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the United States, the most densely populated major city in North America, and is at the center of international finance, politics, entertainment, and culture. ... Bottles of cacha̤a, a Brazilian alcoholic beverage. ...

Bunk suffered from a stroke in late 1948 and died in New Iberia on July 7, 1949. 1948 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... July 7 is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 177 days remaining. ... 1949 is a common year starting on Saturday. ...

Jazz fans and historians still debate Bunk's legacy, and the extent to which his colorful reminiscences of his early career were accurate, misremembered, exaggerations, or lies.

External links

• Bunk Johnson Homepage with discography and photo gallery
• Detailed discussion of research on Bunk's early life and possible birthdates
• BunkJohnson.org New Iberia, Louisiana's Bunk Johnson Festival website