William McKinney

Happy Birthday, William McKinney...September 17, 1895-October 14, 1969...McKinney got his start as a circus drummer, traveling around the south. After a stint in the military during WW1, he took over the leadership of the Synco Jazz Band in Springfield, Ohio in 1922, turning over his drumsticks to Cuba Austin to take on the full time managing and leadership of the group. The band toured the Midwest and California, finally finding a steady gig in Detroit's Greystone Hotel Ballroom in 1926, where they changed the name to McKinney's Cotton Pickers.

By 1929 the band had moved to Harlem. Don Redman did most of the arranging for the band which featured mainly hot numbers written by Redman or other members of the band. The band members fluctuated, like many bands of that size, but many excellent players passed through the ranks including Benny Carter, Coleman Hawkins, Lonnie Johnson, James P. Johnson and Fats Waller. When the band signed with Victor Records they were required to play more commercial music but never failed to give the pieces a special twist of their own.

In the early 30's there were several bands touring as McKinney's Cotton Pickers. McKinney spent most of the 40's managing several of his bands, retiring from the business at the end of the decade. He also ran the Cozy Cafe in Detroit in the late 30's. He spent the 50's working in an auto factory before retiring and returning to his childhood hometown of Cynthiana, Kentucky.