Title
Also naming St. Albans Street between 7th and 8th Streets as “Eddie Lang Way”.
Body
WHEREAS, Eddie Lang born Salvatore Massaro the son of an Italian American instrument maker is known as the father of the jazz guitar; and
WHEREAS, Eddie Lang born in Philadelphia on October 25, 1902 pioneered the use of string instruments in jazz along with his childhood friend Giuseppe “Joe” Venuti throughout the 1920s and 1930s; and
WHEREAS, The first instrument that Eddie learned to play was the violin that he was given when he was a mere 7 years old. He abandoned the violin for the banjo in 1920 and worked with Charlie Kerr and his orchestra around the Philadelphia area. He also worked with such jazz greats as Bert Estlow, Vic D'Ippolito, and Billy Lustig and his Scranton Siren Orchestra; and
WHEREAS, A few years later Eddie started playing the guitar and became a member of the Mound City Blue Blowers led by Red McKenzie where he gave the guitar a place of prominence that it had never before known as a solo instrument. He recorded duets with guitarists Lonnie Johnson and Carl Kress and with jazz violinist Joe Venuti. Eddie also played rhythm guitar in the big bands of Paul Whiteman and Bing Crosby; and
WHEREAS, Tragically Eddie died at the very young age of 30 in 1933 when he never awoke from routine tonsillectomy surgery at Park West Hospital in Manhattan. In honor of Eddie Lang and his tremendous influence and contributions to music in such a short lifetime; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That St. Albans Street between 7th and 8th Streets is also named in honor of Eddie Lang.
End