Collection: Don Ewell Collection | Archives and Special Collections at Tulane University

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of correspondence, newspaper clippings, LP records, performance cassette tapes, books, and other papers of Don Ewell.

Dates

1950s-1990s, bulk range 1950s-1970s

Creator

Ewell, Don (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Biographical / Historical

Don Ewell (1916-1983) was born in Baltimore, Maryland, where he studied classical piano, but gravitated to playing jazz at an early age. After serving in World War II, he fell in with Bunk Johnson, and he subsequently played and recorded with a laundry list of great New Orleans musicians. During the late 1940s, Ewell was a regular in Chicago’s popular music bars. During the early 1950s he played with Kid Ory, and he was seen again with Ory at the 1972 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. In 1957 Ewell joined Jack Teagarden’s band, and he stayed until Teagarden’s death in 1964. Over the course of his career, Don Ewell recorded prolifically for several small labels, and he was admired by many piano players who enjoyed far greater fame than himself.