Big Bill Bissonnette

Big Bill Bissonnette (February 5, 1937 – June 26, 2018)[1] was an American jazz trombonist, drummer, and record producer.

In the 1960s, he led his own group, the Easy Riders Jazz Band, formed his own label, Jazz Crusade,[2] and organized northern tours for Kid Thomas Valentine, George Lewis, and Jim Robinson.

During his career, he worked with Alvin Alcorn, Red Allen, Jimmy Archey, Polo Barnes, Albert Burbank, Alex Bigard, Don Ewell, Pops Foster, George Guesnon, Edmond Hall, Bob Helm, Tuba Fats Lacen, George Lewis, Fred Lonzo, Alcide Pavageau, George Probert, Kid Sheik, Zutty Singleton, Victoria Spivey, Gregg Stafford, Michael White, and Kid Thomas Valentine.

After a period out of music, he published his memoir, The Jazz Crusade, in 1992, reactivated his label, and began to play again.

He spent much of the 1990s documenting the British jazz scene with his "Best of the Brits" album series.