When people think of jazz they often think of the big cities like New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and so on. But it’s in the small towns where many great talents have been nurtured, some staying and some who take their chances in the big cities. And in those small towns, there is always that figure whom everyone in town looks up to. The person who oversees that the future of the music is in good hands. In Charlotte, North Carolina that man was George Wilson Hanna, better known as Bill Hanna or “The godfather of jazz in Charlotte.”
A North Carolina native, he played trombone in a unit of the Army band and toured with Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, and the Glen Miller Big Bands. Although trombone was his first instrument he became more widely recognized as a stalwart jazz pianist.
Not only was he an accomplished performer, but he was also a very passionate educator having taught in Charlotte Mecklenberg Schools for 30 years as well as Central Piedmont Community College for 28 years. And the teaching didn’t stop there. Many great jazz performers from North and South Carolina have sat in at a Bill Hanna jam session, including the legendary Chris Potter, trumpeter Ashlin Parker, and drummer/pianist Stephen Gordon to name a few.
I moved home temporarily after finishing my Master’s Degree at Michigan State and I really started learning jazz standards at this time, and I was fortunate enough to be welcomed by Bill Hanna and his group at the Double Door Inn back in 2006. While I only stayed in Charlotte a few months I was always at the Double Door, the Cajun Queen, and Morehead Tavern sitting in with Bill’s group, and he was always encouraging. He would let you know when you were messing upright on the bandstand, but he always wanted what was best for each person who sat in, and he cared deeply about the music scene in Charlotte until the day he died.
It must have been 2015 when I saw Bill Hanna last time, and I went down to the double door and sat in with him. He didn’t see me until I was up on stage and started playing and we had a great time that night catching up. I found out later he was singing my praises, which was a nice moment of affirmation that I was going in the right direction, and I will always be thankful to Bill for that among the many things he’s given me, and the city of Charlotte.
The Double Door Inn is now closed, and while the Godfather of Jazz in Charlotte is now laid to rest his presence in Charlotte will be felt for generations to come. It has been and for the foreseeable future will continue to be his city.
Check out his interview with Net Radio Dogs Road Show
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