1917 – 1993

Dizzy Gillespie

American jazz trumpeter (1917–1993)

musicianrecording artistjazz musiciantrumpeterconductor

Born

1917-10-21, Cheraw

Died

1993-01-06

Birthplace state

South Carolina

Biography

John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was born in Cheraw, South Carolina, in 1917 and died in 1993. He worked as a jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator, and singer, building on the trumpet style of Roy Eldridge by incorporating layers of harmonic and rhythmic complexity into jazz. His musicianship and showmanship helped establish early bebop styles, and his distinctive appearance—including a beret, horn-rimmed spectacles, and bent horn—became widely recognized.

Occupation

Dizzy Gillespie is recorded as a musician, a recording artist, a jazz musician, a trumpeter, a conductor, a singer, a pianist, a bandleader and a composer, born in South Carolina (1917–1993).

Connections to South Carolina

Dizzy Gillespie was born in Cheraw, South Carolina in 1917. Explore other notable figures from South Carolina, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from South Carolina›South Carolinahistory ›Historic sites in South Carolina›

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Everything a full report reveals about Cheraw

Dizzy Gillespie came from Cheraw. A full Aubrey report on Cheraw pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview

An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.

The Land

The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.

Geology

The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.

LiDAR Terrain

Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.

Conflict & War

The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.

The Civil War

The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.

The Soldiers

The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.

Native Heritage

The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.

Settlement

Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.

The Community

How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.

Rivers & Rail

The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.

Notable People

The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.

Historical Maps

Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.

Finds & Access

Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.

Literature

The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.

Spotlight

A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.

Points of Interest

The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.

Timeline

The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.

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More notable figures from South Carolina

Other historical figures born in South Carolina, ranked by historical prominence.

Andrew Jackson

president of the United States from 1829 to 1837

James Brown

American musician (1933–2006)

Charles Hard Townes

20th-century American physicist

Chadwick Boseman

American actor (1976–2020)

Eartha Kitt

American singer and actress (1927–2008)

John C. Calhoun

vice president of the United States from 1825 to 1832 (1782–1850)

Joe Frazier

American boxer (1944–2011)

Frequently asked about Dizzy Gillespie

Who was Dizzy Gillespie?

Dizzy Gillespie was American jazz trumpeter (1917–1993), born in South Carolina (1917 – 1993).

When and where was Dizzy Gillespie born?

Dizzy Gillespie was born on 1917-10-21 in Cheraw.

When did Dizzy Gillespie die?

Dizzy died on 1993-01-06.

What was Dizzy Gillespie known for?

Dizzy Gillespie is recorded as a musician, a recording artist, a jazz musician, a trumpeter, a conductor, a singer, a pianist, a bandleader and a composer.

Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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