Daily Dose Of Jazz…

William “O’Neil” Spencer was born on November 25, 1909 in Cedarville, Ohio and began his career with local bands in the Buffalo, New York area. In 1931, he began working for Al Sears before joining up with the Mills Blue Rhythm Band from 1931 to 1936, which later became the Lucky Millinder Orchestra.

However, it wasn’t until 1937 after joining the popular John Kirby Sextet that he truly became an influential force on the jazz scene. Unfortunately, Spencer had to leave for a time in 1941 due to tuberculosis. However, during the late Thirties he recorded with numerous other groups, including Red Allen, Sidney Bechet, Jimmie Noone, Johnny Dodds, Frankie Newton, Milt Hearth, and Lil Armstrong.

He left the Kirby sextet in 1941 to work briefly with Louis Armstrong, but returned in ’42. His career, however, was cut short in 1943 when he contracted tuberculosis. Drummer and singer O’Neil Spencer transitioned on July 24, 1944 in New York City at the age of thirty-five.

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