Biography
Bob McCracken, born in Dallas, attained no widespread renown yet collaborated across decades with an array of distinguished ensembles. His initial work took place among Texas musicians, where early ties to Jack Teagarden led to engagements alongside Eddie Whitley, the Southern Trumpeters and Doc Ross' Jazz Bandits. Relocating to New York, he performed from 1926 through 1928 with Johnny Johnston and Willard Robison's Levee Loungers. Upon returning to Dallas he appeared with local outfits directed by Ligon Smith, Joe Gill and Doc Ross. Subsequent periods with the orchestras of Joe Venuti and Frankie Trumbauer culminated in his 1939 relocation to Chicago. There he joined Bud Freeman for the years 1939-40, then worked in 1941 with Jimmy McPartland, Wingy Manone and Benny Goodman, in addition to the sweet bands fronted by Russ Morgan and Wayne King as well as various lesser-known groups. Between 1952 and 1953 he toured as a substitute for Barney Bigard in the Louis Armstrong All-Stars. Once he stepped away from the road, McCracken established himself in Los Angeles and performed with leading figures in traditional jazz, among them Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band on an intermittent basis from 1953 to 1959, together with Ben Pollack, Pete Daily, Jack Teagarden and Wild Bill Davison. Although he never headed a recording session of his own, McCracken appears on multiple Kid Ory albums.