Richard McPartland

Who was Richard McPartland?

Dick McPartland was the older brother of Jimmy McPartland, and he was an early member of the Austin High School Gang that helped establish Chicago-style jazz in the 1920s. McPartland started out on the violin before switching to banjo and guitar. He played primarily in Chicago during the 1920s including with Red McKenzie, where he was Eddie Lang's replacement; he recorded with Irving Mills in 1928 and Jack Teagarden in 1929. Dick's rhythm guitar can be heard on sessions led by Jimmy in 1936 and 1939. An early heart attack forced Dick to retire from full-time music by his early 30s. Later, he was a cab driver, only appearing at an occasional concert, including in 1955 when he played his final gig. He never led his own record date.