Carroll Dickerson

{{Short description|American jazz violinist and bandleader (1895–1957)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Carroll Dickerson

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| birth_date = {{birth date|1895|11|01}}

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| origin = Chicago, Illinois

| death_date = {{death date and age|1957|10|09|1895|11|01}}

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| genre = Jazz

| occupation = Bandleader

| instrument = Violin

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| past_member_of = Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines, King Oliver

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Carroll Dickerson (November 1, 1895{{cite web|url=http://www.ifccom.ch/reperes/nov-11.html |title=Jazz calendar for November 11 |publisher=ifccom.ch |work=Dico-jazz |accessdate=25 January 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128133029/http://www.ifccom.ch/reperes/nov-11.html |archivedate=28 January 2015 }} – October 9, 1957{{cite web|url=http://www.ifccom.ch/reperes/oct-09.html |title=Jazz calendar for October 9 |publisher=ifccom.ch |work=Dico-jazz |accessdate=25 January 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128132527/http://www.ifccom.ch/reperes/oct-09.html |archivedate=28 January 2015 }}) was a Chicago and New York–based dixieland jazz violinist and bandleader, probably better known for his extensive work with Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines or his more brief work touring with King Oliver.{{cite book

| last = Carr

| first = Ian

| author2 = Digby Fairweather

| author2-link = Digby Fairweather

| author3 = Brian Priestley

| author3-link = Brian Priestley

| title = Jazz: The Rough Guide

| publisher = The Rough Guides

| year = 1995

| pages = [https://archive.org/details/jazzroughguide00carr/page/170 170]

| isbn = 1-85828-137-7

| url-access = registration

| url = https://archive.org/details/jazzroughguide00carr/page/170

}}

Dickerson played a major role as a bandleader in Chicago; his sidemen there included Johnny Dunn, Frankie Half Pint Jaxon, Tommy Ladnier, Honore Dutrey, Natty Dominique, Sterling Conaway, Boyd Atkins, Fred Robinson, Jimmy Strong, Mancy Carr, Pete Briggs, and Jimmy Mundy.{{cite web |title=Caroll Dickerson's Savoy Orchestra|url=https://syncopatedtimes.com/caroll-dickersons-savoy-orchestra/ |website=Red Hot Jazz Archive |date=26 September 2020 |accessdate=26 September 2020 }}

He first directed a band from 1922 to 1924 in the Sunset Cafe, which led to a longer tour, in which his sideman, Louis Armstrong, quickly became known (and later took his place). He was known for his strictness, issuing penalties to musicians who missed notes.{{Cite book|last=Brothers|first=Thomas|title=Louis Armstrong: Master of Modernism|publisher=W.W. Norton & Company|year=2014|isbn=978-0-393-06582-4|location=New York, NY|pages=243}} His "Carroll Dickerson Savoyagers" then appeared in the Savoy Ballroom, as well as in New York in the late 1920s.{{cite web |title=Carroll Dickerson's Savoyagers|url=https://syncopatedtimes.com/carroll-dickersons-savoyagers/ |website=Red Hot Jazz Archive |date=26 September 2020 |accessdate=26 September 2020 }}

Despite their differences in Chicago over Armstrong taking over the orchestra, musicians such as Armstrong, Buster Bailey, George Mitchell, Earl Hines and Zutty Singleton played in his Savoy Orchestra.{{Cite book|last=Brothers|first=Thomas|title=Louis Armstrong: Master of Modernism|publisher=W.W. Norton & Company|year=2014|isbn=978-0-393-06582-4|location=New York, NY|pages=289}} The musicians of Armstrong's Hot Five and Hot Seven of 1927 were musicians taken from the Dickerson orchestra, and he himself played with some recordings as a violinist. He also toured with King Oliver.

Dickerson briefly directed the Mills Blue Rhythm Band before returning to Chicago.