Editing Armand J. Piron

{{Short description|American jazz violinist (1888–1943)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Armand J. Piron
| birth_name      = Armand John Piron
| birth_date      = {{Birth date|1888|8|16}}
| birth_place     = New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
| death_date      = {{death date and age |1943|2|17 |1888|8|16}}
| death_place     = New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
| genre           = Jazz, Dixieland
| occupation      = Musician
| instrument      = Violin
| years_active    = 1904–1935
}}

'''Armand John "A.J." Piron''' (August 16, 1888 &ndash; February 17, 1943) was an American jazz violinist who led dance bands during the 1910s thru the 1930s.<ref name="MortonCook2010">{{cite book |last1=Morton |first1=Brian |last2=Cook|first2=Richard|title=The Penguin Jazz Guide: The History of the Music in the 1000 Best Albums|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K7svgLNMxjgC&pg=PT81 |accessdate=7 October 2018 |date=4 November 2010 |publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-14-195900-9 |pages=81– }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=A.J. Piron (1888-1943)|url=https://syncopatedtimes.com/a-j-piron-1888-1943/ |website=Red Hot Jazz Archive |date=August 2020 |accessdate=1 August 2020 }}</ref>

==Early life==
A.J. Piron was born August 16, 1888, to Octave Louis Piron and Marie Jeanne Zeringue (Jennie). While this is the date according to his draft registration card, his birth record states he was born August 26, 1889. The former date is more widely accepted.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Lindstrom 1, Vernhettes 2 |first=Bo 1, Dan 2 |title=Jazz Puzzles Volume 2 |publisher=Jazz'edit |year=2015 |pages=147–168 |language=English}}</ref> At home his family spoke English and French [[patois]], although Piron spoke mostly English.<ref name=":1" />

Piron grew up with his five siblings in the 7th Ward at 1523-24 Columbus Street, steps from [[Claiborne Avenue]],<ref name=":1" /> which at that time was a bustling, tree-lined center of commerce and community life. Octave Piron was a shoemaker and a musician himself. He was both a music teacher and played in the Philharmonic Orchestra alongside many well known musicians of the time like [[Manuel Perez (musician)|Manuel Perez]], [[Charlie Elgar]], Ida Rose, and [[Alphonse Picou]], among others.<ref name=":1" /> Octave Piron taught his sons Milford, Albert, and Armand Piron how to play.<ref name=":1" /> 

At the age of seven Piron had an accident that damaged one of his legs. For the next five years while Piron recovered, he devoted himself to practicing the violin.<ref name=":1" /> This could be the reason A.J. Piron didn't join the numerous marching bands popular in New Orleans at that time but instead became a dance and concert band musician.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Koenig |first=Karl |title=Trinity of early jazz leaders: John Robichaux, "Toots" Johnson, Claiborne Williams, with essays on: A.J. Piron, "Papa" Celestin, Bud Scott |publisher=Basic Street Press |year=1996 |location=Abita Springs, LA |pages=196–211 |language=English}}</ref> At age twelve Piron made his musical debut when he joined a band his father led that included some of his students and Piron's brothers.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> 

== Career ==
In 1903 Piron began playing in the Bloom Philharmonic. In 1908 he played for the Peerless Orchestra. Then in 1913 he played in the large, legendary orchestra organized by [[John Robichaux|John P. Robichaux]] for the Carnival ball of the Elves of Oberon.<ref name=":1" /> That same year Piron was playing at the Rose Bud Theater on Dryades Street, sometimes with Papa Celestin's Tuxedo band. He also played in the Olympia Band with [[Sidney Bechet|Sydney Bechet]], [[Kid Ory]], [[Louis Keppard]], and [[Clarence Williams (musician)|Clarence Williams]], among others.<ref name=":1" />

After touring briefly with [[W.C. Handy]] in 1917, Piron started an orchestra which included  [[Lorenzo Tio]], [[Steve Lewis (musician)|Steve Lewis]],<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=French Creoles |url=http://www.frenchcreoles.com/MusicEvents/armond%20j%20piron/armond%20j%20piron.htm |access-date=2017-07-30 |website=www.frenchcreoles.com}}</ref> [[John Lindsay (musician)|John Lindsay]], and [[Peter Bocage]].<ref name="Yanow">{{cite web |last1=Yanow |first1=Scott |title=Armand Piron |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/armand-piron-mn0000499586/biography |accessdate=October 7, 2018 |website=AllMusic}}</ref> The theme song of the orchestra was "The Purple Rose of Cairo", written by Piron and Steve Lewis.<ref>{{cite web |title=Purple Rose of Cairo {{!}} Tulane University Digital Library |url=https://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/islandora/object/tulane:18773 |access-date=2017-07-30 |website=digitallibrary.tulane.edu}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> In 1923, Piron took his band to New York City.<ref name="Yanow" /><ref>{{cite web |date=August 2020 |title=Armand Piron's New Orleans Orchestra |url=https://syncopatedtimes.com/armand-pirons-new-orleans-orchestra/ |accessdate=August 1, 2020 |website=Red Hot Jazz Archive}}</ref>

== References ==

<references />{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Piron, Armand J.}}
[[Category:1888 births]]
[[Category:1943 deaths]]
[[Category:Jazz musicians from New Orleans]]
[[Category:American jazz bandleaders]]
[[Category:American jazz composers]]
[[Category:American male jazz composers]]
[[Category:American jazz violinists]]
[[Category:American male violinists]]
[[Category:Louisiana Creole people]]
[[Category:Victor Records artists]]
[[Category:20th-century American violinists]]
[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:Olympia Orchestra members]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American musicians]]
[[Category:Imperial Orchestra members]]