Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni, known by the stage name Louie Bellson, was an American jazz drummer. He was a composer, arranger, bandleader, and jazz educator, and is credited with pioneering the use of two bass drums. Bellson was an internationally acclaimed artist who performed in most of the major capitals around the world. Bellson and his first wife, the actress and singer Pearl Bailey, had the second highest number of appearances at the White House. He was a vice president at Remo, a drum company. [More at Wikipedia]

July 6th, 1924 in Rock Falls  /  Died:   Feb 15th, 2009