Charles Ellsworth "Pee Wee" Russell, born March 27, 1906 in Maplewood, Missouri,
was an American clarinetist. Inspired by Alcide "Yellow" Nuñez, he settled on
the clarinet and began his professional career in 1922 with various touring
acts. His debut recording was "Fuzzy Wuzzy Bird" with Herb Berger’s Band in
1924. In the late 1920s, Russell joined Bix Beiderbecke's band. Throughout the
1930s, he collaborated with artists like Adrian Rollini and Louis Prima. He
moved to New York in the mid-1940s and performed regularly at Greenwich Village
clubs. In the 1950s, Russell frequently ...