Biography
Norma Teagarden stood as the only daughter among the four Teagarden children whose mother, ragtime pianist and music instructor Helen Teagarden, guided each of them toward lifelong careers in music. While trombonist Jack Teagarden achieved far greater renown than his siblings, the group also included trumpeter Charlie Teagarden and drummer Clois “Cubby” Teagarden. Jack regularly hired his sister to play in his rhythm section across multiple engagements throughout the 1940s and 1950s.
At the outset of her professional work Norma Teagarden performed on both piano and violin. She remained in Oklahoma City for several years before relocating to New Mexico toward the end of the 1920s, where she performed with various territory bands based in that region. By the 1930s she had returned to Oklahoma City, where she directed her own small group and accepted engagements in nearby parts of Texas. In 1942 she moved to California, again leading her own ensemble until she joined her celebrated brother’s organization for the span from 1944 to 1947, a period that involved extensive touring.
After an interval away from Jack’s band, Norma Teagarden worked as a freelance pianist with several California leaders, among them Ben Pollack, Matty Matlock, Ada Leonard, and Ray Bauduc. She rejoined her brother from 1952 to 1955. In 1957 she established San Francisco as her permanent base, remaining an active contributor to the city’s traditional jazz and Dixieland community for nearly four decades. She frequently appeared with veteran bandleader Turk Murphy, presented numerous solo piano performances, and in the 1970s traveled through Europe with a group jointly directed by Bob Mielke and Ev Farey.
At the outset of her professional work Norma Teagarden performed on both piano and violin. She remained in Oklahoma City for several years before relocating to New Mexico toward the end of the 1920s, where she performed with various territory bands based in that region. By the 1930s she had returned to Oklahoma City, where she directed her own small group and accepted engagements in nearby parts of Texas. In 1942 she moved to California, again leading her own ensemble until she joined her celebrated brother’s organization for the span from 1944 to 1947, a period that involved extensive touring.
After an interval away from Jack’s band, Norma Teagarden worked as a freelance pianist with several California leaders, among them Ben Pollack, Matty Matlock, Ada Leonard, and Ray Bauduc. She rejoined her brother from 1952 to 1955. In 1957 she established San Francisco as her permanent base, remaining an active contributor to the city’s traditional jazz and Dixieland community for nearly four decades. She frequently appeared with veteran bandleader Turk Murphy, presented numerous solo piano performances, and in the 1970s traveled through Europe with a group jointly directed by Bob Mielke and Ev Farey.