* February 18, 1904 New Orleans, La
† November 23, 1973 New Orleans, La

Name: Joseph De La Croix Pierce

As a brass band musician he played with: D'Jalma Ganier's, Happy Pals, Silver Leaf, Tuxedo Brass Band

DeeDee Pierce was a French speaking New Orleans native.

DeeDee Pierce recalled (interview october 7, 1959) that when he started playing in D'Jalma Ganier's Brass Band in the late 1920s they used the Bennet Band Books. 2,p24

DeeDee started playing in brass bands in the late 1920s and said that the first brass band he joined was the D'Jalma Garnier Brass Band. He said that when the band played at funerals, the dirges were played from written parts. According to Pierce the band also played numbers "by ear". Pierce claimed he led the band, after Garnier's death, for the Buzzards parade for "fifteen years or more". 2,p123

He first appeared playing with Arnold Dupas' band in 1924, playing the trumpet. One night while working at the Blue Jay Club in New Orleans, he met Billie (Wilhelmina Goodson) and the two fell in love. i1 by Bradley Torreano
In 1935 DeeDee married pianist Billie sister of Ida and Sadie Goodson.

Pierce played in 1951 in the so called Silver Leaf Brass Band, together with Kid Howard and Jimmy Clayton on trumpet, Jim Robinson and Harrison Brazlee trb, Noon Johnson sous, "Tats" Alexander alto sax, Jesse Charles tenor sax, Chester Jones bass drum and Abby Williams on snare drum.2,p179

John Casimir, leader of the Young Tuxedo Brass Band, said that DeeDee used to lead his brass band. He got his own self blind. Pierces's doctor told him that unless he underwent treatment he would lose his sight. He ignored this advice.2,p210

He went blind in the 1950s and retired for a time, but by 1959 he recorded for Folklyric, Jazzology, and Riverside labels.

Sources (internet):
i1 http://music.yahoo.com/ar-6311439-bio--DeeDee-Pierce

Sources (brassband history):
2 Fallen Heroes by Richard H. Knowles