(1906 - 1974)

Jesse Crump was born in Paris, Texas in 1906 where he first started playing the piano presumably at a fairly young age. He wound up in Dallas before 1920 and would travel extensively in vaudeville to New York and Chicago also working as a singing comedian and dancer. Nicknamed "Tiny", Jesse was married to singer Ida Cox in the 1920's and '30's with whom he frequently recorded and performed. Beginning in 1937 he fell from the public eye for about fifteen years while living in Muncie, Indiana before reemerging on the San Francisco jazz scene of the early '50's. Later instead of following popular music trends into rock & roll during the 1960's the pianist, not wanting to spoil his legacy, decided to retire.