Don Kirkpatrick

Don Kirkpatrick (June 17, 1905 – May 13, 1956)[1] was an American jazz pianist and arranger.

He was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States.[1] Kirkpatrick worked intermittently with Chick Webb between 1927-1937 and with Don Redman from 1933-1937; it is for these associations that he is best known.[1] Aside from this, he worked with Harry White, Elmer Snowden, Zutty Singleton, and Mezz Mezzrow, and worked as a freelance arranger after his time with Webb and Redman. Kirkpatrick also arranged for the bands of Benny Goodman, Count Basie, and Cootie Williams.[1]

After the swing era, Kirkpatrick played with Bunk Johnson (1947), Sidney Bechet (1951), Wilbur De Paris (1952–55), and Doc Cheatham (1955).[1] He never led his own recording session. In 1956 he died at age 50,[1] of complications from pneumonia.