Bryan was a self-taught guitarist born in Byhalia,
Mississippi on August 9, 1916. Bryan is best known for his time playing with
Benny Goodman and his contribution to a series of television documentaries sponsored by the
Goodyear Tire Company featuring jazz musicians. He began his career playing in the
Memphis area until 1935 when he joined
Red Nichols in
Chicago. After that, he led his own band in
Greenwood, Mississippi from 1938 to 1939. From November 1940 until May 1941, Bryan worked with Benny Goodman and played with the
big bands of
Bob Chester,
Jan Savitt, and
Artie Shaw until he joined the
United States Army from March 1942 until November 1944. In December 1942, author
Ursula Parrott became the subject of national coverage when she was brought up on federal charges of attempting to help Bryan escape from the Miami Beach Army stockade. However, she was acquitted by the jury at her trial. After his time in the military, Bryan worked with some emerging
bebop musicians like
Dizzy Gillespie and
Charlie Parker in their small groups. He rejoined Benny Goodman from January 1945 until September 1946 and recorded with both the sextet and the orchestra. Bryan spent several years doing studio work in
California. In addition he produced a series of foreign television documentaries for the Goodyear Tire Company featuring jazz musicians such as
Louis Armstrong and
Duke Ellington. In 1962, he toured Europe as music director of a band also sponsored by Goodyear. In 1966, he toured
Vietnam with
Martha Raye. On 5 May 1957 he married
Lady Iris Mountbatten, only child of
Alexander Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Carisbrooke and a great-granddaughter of
Queen Victoria. They divorced months later and had one child, Robin Alexander Bryan (born
Mount Sinai Hospital,
Manhattan,
New York City, 20 December 1957), who has three natural children from three different women. He died of
leukemia at Glendale Hospital in 1972. ==Bibliography==