Peck Kelley


John Dickson "Peck" Kelley was an American jazz pianist. He was best known for his 1920s band Peck's Bad Boys, which included Jack Teagarden, and Pee Wee Russell.

Early life

John Dickson "Peck" Kelley was born in Houston, Texas on October 22, 1898.

Career

Peck's Bad Boys

During the 1920s Kelley was a popular bandleader who led his own band, Peck's Bad Boys. The group included several jazz musicians that would go on to forge successful recording careers of their own, players such as Jack Teagarden, Louis Prima, Terry Shand, Wingy Manone, Leon Roppolo and Pee Wee Russell. Despite the apparent success of this group, no recordings survive from this period.

Reluctance to travel or record

Kelley rarely played anywhere outside of Texas. Early in his career he did perform in Missouri and Louisiana, but the politics of the worker's union at the time combined with the overall hassle of obtaining permits prompted him to return to Texas. Throughout his career Kelley repeatedly turned down offers by other musicians of the day to play outside of Texas - offers from artists such as Bing Crosby, Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey and Paul Whiteman. However, he did perform in St. Louis, Missouri, Shreveport, Louisiana and New Orleans, Louisiana. Kelley joined the Dick Shannon quartet with Glen Boyd on Bass Fiddle in 1957, from which the only studio recordings from this musician survive. These were made in Houston in June 1957. Although Kelley enjoyed playing at the sessions, and subsequently listening to the tapes, he refused to allow them to be released. They were eventually released in 1983 by Commodore Records as the "Peck Kelley Jam Sessions, Volumes 1 & 2". However, some private recordings of this same period have been released on the Arkadia record label.

Personal life

Throughout his career Kelley wished to remain anonymous, a private man who did not wish fame for himself. It is commonly accepted by jazz historians that the 1930s Will Bradley hit "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar" is in reference and tribute to Kelley. Eventually Peck became blind and developed Parkinson's disease, dying on December 26, 1980 at 82.

Discography