Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson on leaving Houston

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Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson discusses his decision to be a musician

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Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson on being a band leader

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Q: “Were you much of a band manager, were you much of a business man?”

A: Eddie Vinson: “Well, I had a good guy that was taking care of my business for me. You know, I picked my musicians and thing, but I wasn't much of a boss because I couldn't be a boss, you know, and I haven't no way ...”

Interviewer: “Who was writing your arrangements?”

Eddie Vinson: “Oh, I had several people … Oh so Don Kirkpatrick, Chappie Willet, you know, just Stanley Baum who was a little guy. He had a great thing. But he would write for me and he liked to write for me to play, you know, the first parts in that thing. This was later, maybe '45. And after he got to write with the big shows and all the big Jim Duraney Shows and things, he always wanted to, "Man, as always I have to write for you, so I can just hear you play those parts." You know, here is a guy who got all this money, right, and he wants to write for me, and you know, it was nice.”