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American Masters

How Charlie "YardBird" Parker got his nickname

The story of how Charlie Parker's nickname "Yardbird" came to be.

Aired 08/17/1989

American Masters

How Charlie "YardBird" Parker got his nickname

Preview: 8/17/1989 | 1m 51sVideo has Closed Captions

The story of how Charlie Parker's nickname "Yardbird" came to be.

Charlie Parker's nickname "Yardbird" came to be while he was on the way to a gig with some fellow musicians and involved a bird in a yard that had an unfortunate fate.

Aired 08/17/1989

Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback

Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback

Support for American Masters is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, AARP, Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Judith and Burton Resnick, Blanche and Hayward Cirker Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, Koo...

Support provided by:

AARP

This TV ad shows how bebop wasn't taken seriously

Video has Closed Captions

Clip: 8/17/1989 | 1m | Bebop changed American music but wasn't taken seriously for much of Charlie Parker's life. (1m)

The time Charlie Parker rode a horse down 52nd Street

Video has Closed Captions

Clip: 8/17/1989 | 56s | Charlie Parker's former partner Chan recalls the time he rode a horse down her street. (56s)

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Support for American Masters is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, AARP, Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Judith and Burton Resnick, Blanche and Hayward Cirker Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, Koo...

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