Yvonne V. Busch

Yvonne V. Busch was born in New Orleans on October 18, 1929, daughter of Edward "Eddie" Busch and Bertha Scott Busch who both preceded her in death. She grew up in the historic Treme' section of the city. Busch, who mastered several brass instruments and the woodwinds, became a touring professional by the age of 12. She crisscrossed the United States as a member of the critically acclaimed "International Sweethearts of Rhythm" and the "Swinging Rays of Rhythm," two all-female bands sponsored by the Piney Woods Country Life School, and historic African-American boarding school located in Piney Woods, Mississippi. After leaving the Piney Woods School in 1943, Busch returned to New Orleans and completed her high school studies at Gilbert Academy. She broke gender barriers when she became the only female in the "all-male" Southern University (Baton Rouge) Jazz Band, and later she joined the Dooky Chase Orchestra. Yvonne Busch made a significant contribution to the culture of New Orleans throughout her 32-year career teaching music and directing bands in the city's public schools, including Booker T. Washington (1951-52), Joseph S. Clark (1952-58), and George Washington Carver (1958-1983). Busch's students include saxophonist James Rivers, who played and composed music for several Clint Eastwood films, including The Bridges of Madison County, Bird and Tightrope; Herlin Riley, renowned jazz drummer with Wynton Marsalis and The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra; George Davis, and original guitarist in the legendary Broadway production A Chorus Line, and who performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Nancy Wilson, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughn; drummer John Boudreaux, who performed with Billy Eckstine, George Benson and Sam Cooke; and drummer James Black, who performed with jazz legends Yusef Lateef, Freddie Hubbard and Cannonball Adderley. Former band students of Yvonne Busch also included drummers Joseph "Smokey" Johnson, Sullivan Dabney, Herb Taylor, Ernie Elly, and Tony "Oulaboula" Bazley; and New Orleans music legends James 'Sugarboy" Crawford, Theron Lewis, Porgy Jones and, many more! The story of her remarkable career is documented in Chapter 3 of Dr. Al Kennedy's book, Chord Changes on the Chalkboard: How Public School Teachers Shaped Jazz and the music of New Orleans. Expanding upon Kennedy's book, Leonard Smith III, one of Busch's former band students at Carver Senior High School, produced and directed the award-winning documentary "A Legend in the Classroom: The Life Story of Ms. Yvonne Busch." Yvonne Busch's story beckons researchers to take a look at a previously unexplored area in the lives of New Orleans's most successful musicians. Through her public school classrooms and band rooms, she created a musical legacy that includes jazz and classical musicians, rhythm & blues performers and gospel singers. She also mentored an impressive list of former student-teachers who learned from watching Yvonne Busch and who are now passing on the music traditions she instilled in them. Yvonne Busch was, by any account, an extraordinary teacher. On Friday, February 28, 2014 at 6:11 am Ms. Yvonne Busch became a heavenly teacher in God's Musical Garden of Eden and joined her parents, nephew, Darrell McIntosh and brother-in-law, Herman Burns in Glory. Those left to enjoy her earthly musical and no doubt heavenly musical talents now are: her sister, Elaine B. Burns; nephews Kaven McIntosh and Keith (Velena) Gant; cousins, Ursula (June) Lee, Delores Coye' as well as generations of other nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, students and music lovers who enjoyed her life, teachings and love of music. Family, friends, students, teachers and musicians of all genres are all invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, March 8, 2014 at St. David Catholic church, 5617 St. Claude Ave., NOLA for 10:00 am. Interment is in Providence Memorial Park, 8200 Airline Dr., Metairie, LA. Visitation begins at 8:00 am in the church.