Notes On Charlie Parker (1920-1955)
By J.N.R Dutton
@jnrdutton (3377)
United States
July 22, 2025 5:42am CST
Dear all,
As of late I have really been getting into Charlie Parker. I wish I had half his talent,the man had more musical talent in his pinkie than I have altogether.
Sadly, though he was beautifully brilliant, he also developed a dependency on certain substances (which as I understand,he initially used as legit medicine after a car accident.)
Back in his day, there was a lot of unfortunate ignorance around addiction mechanics and all that.
It's stunning how something invented to relieve pain can turn deadly wicked fast.
He was dead by the age of 34 due to complications from pneumonia exacerbated by his pre-existing substance abuse.
His is a cautionary tale if ever there was.
3 people like this
2 responses
@FourWalls (78167)
• United States
22 Jul
There are so many cautionary tales in music. His is one of the saddest. Bird was the saxophonist’s saxophonist, that’s for certain.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (78167)
• United States
22 Jul
@jnrdutton — oh, no, that happens to me all the time with people like Buddy Holly, Hank Williams, and Humphrey Bogart!
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (198904)
• United States
23 Jul
That's a pity about the substance abuse. We've lost so many artists from my era lately.
1 person likes this
