Chesney Henry 

"Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an

American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations within the cool
jazz subgenre leading him to be nicknamed the "prince of cool".[3]
Baker earned much attention and critical praise through the 1950s, particularly for albums
featuring his vocals (Chet Baker Sings, It Could Happen to You). Jazz historian Dave
Gelly described the promise of Baker's early career as "James Dean, Sinatra, and Bix, rolled
into one".[4] His well-publicized drug habit also drove his notoriety and fame. Baker was in and
out of jail frequently before enjoying a career resurgence in the late 1970s and 1980s.[5]

Contents

 1Biography
o 1.1Early years
o 1.2Career
o 1.3Drug addiction and decline
o 1.4Comeback
 2Compositions
 3Personal life
 4Death
 5Legacy
 6Awards and honors
 7Discography
 8Filmography
 9References
 10Further reading
 11External links

Biography[edit]
Early years[edit]
Baker was born and raised in a musical household in Yale, Oklahoma. His father, Chesney
Baker Sr., was a professional guitarist, and his mother, Vera Moser, was a pianist who worked
in a perfume factory. His maternal grandmother was Norwegian.[6] Baker said that due to the
Great Depression, his father, though talented, had to quit as a musician and take a regular job.
At age 10 in 1940, his family relocated to Glendale, California.[7]
Baker began his musical career singing in a church choir. His father gave him a trombone,
which was replaced with a trumpet when the trombone proved too large. His mother said that
he had begun to memorize tunes on the radio before he was given an instrument. After "falling
in love" with the trumpet, he improved noticeably in two weeks. Peers called Baker a natural
musician to whom playing came effortlessly.[8]
Baker received some musical education at Glendale High School, but he left school at the age
of 16 in 1946 to join the United States Army. He was assigned to Berlin, Germany, where he
joined the 298th Army Band. After leaving the Army in 1948, he studied music theory and
harmony at El Camino College in Los Angeles.[9] He dropped out during his second year to re-
enlist. He became a member of the Sixth Army Band at the Presidio in San Francisco,
[9]
 spending time in clubs such as Bop City and the Black Hawk.[10] He was discharged from the
Army in 1951 and proceeded to pursue a career in music.[11]