
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.
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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...

How Charlie "YardBird" Parker got his nickname
Preview: 8/17/1989 | 1m 51sVideo has Closed Captions
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.
Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback
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How do today’s masters create their art? Each episode an artist reveals how they brought their creative work to life. Hear from artists across disciplines, like actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, singer-songwriter Jewel, author Min Jin Lee, and more on our podcast "American Masters: Creative Spark."Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipThis 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...