Burgundy Street Blues Lewis George 1962 br br George Lewis (13 July 1900 -- 31 December 1968) was an American jazz clarinetist who achieved his greatest fame and influence in his later decades of life. br He was born in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. Lewis was playing clarinet professionally by 1917. He played with Buddie Petit, Chris Kelly regularly, and sometimes with Kid Ory and many other band leaders, seldom traveling far from the greater New Orleans area. br During the Great Depression he took a day job as a stevedore, continuing to take such music jobs after hours as he could find. br In 1942 some jazz fans and writers came to New Orleans to record the legendary older trumpeter Bunk Johnson, and Bunk picked Lewis for the recording session. Lewis, almost totally unknown outside of New Orleans, impressed many listeners, and he made his first recordings under his own name for American Music Records. br In 1944 he was badly injured in a stevedoring accident when a container fell on his chest. For a time it was thought that even if he recovered he would be unable to play clarinet. However he started playing again while convalescing in bed at home on Burgundy Street in the French Quarter. His friends banjoist Lawrence Marrero and string bass player Alcide Pavageau brought their instruments to Lewis' bedside, and Bill Russell of American Music brought his portable disc recorder, and they recorded the first version of what was to become George Lewis' most famous number, The Burgundy Street Blues. br The Burgundy Street Blues was titled by Russell (who also created new names for a number of Lewis's interpretations of old pop tunes). It was originally simply an improvised blues based on figures from the records of Louis Armstrong.