Editing Chick Webb (section)

==Early life==
Webb was born in [[Baltimore, Maryland]], to William H. and Marie Webb. The year of his birth is disputed. The ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]'' and [[Allmusic]] indicate 1905, and this seems to be supported by [[United States census|census]] information.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chick-Webb |title=Chick Webb, Encyclopædia Britannica |website=Britannica.com |access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref> Other publications claim other years. During Webb's lifetime, a December 1937 ''DownBeat'' magazine article, "The Rise of a Crippled Genius",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wbgo.org/blog/you-dont-know-jazz-with-dr-lewis-porter-chick-webb |title=You Don't Know Jazz! With Dr. Lewis Porter: Chick Webb &#124; WBGO Jazz 88.3FM |access-date=November 12, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141112212014/http://www.wbgo.org/blog/you-dont-know-jazz-with-dr-lewis-porter-chick-webb |archive-date=November 12, 2014}}</ref> stated he was born in 1909, which is the year that appears on his grave marker.  In 1939, ''[[The New York Times]]'' stated that Webb was born in 1907,{{citation needed|date=June 2020}} the year also suggested in ''Rhythm on Record'' by [[Hilton Schleman]].<ref>''Rhythm on Record: Who's Who and Register of Recorded Dance Music, 1906/1936'', Hilton Schleman, Melody Maker Limited, London, 1936, page 264.</ref>

Webb was one of four children; the other three were sisters (Bessie, Mabel, and Ethel). His sister Mabel married Wilbur Porter around 1928. When an infant, Webb fell down some stairsteps in his family's home, crushing several vertebrae and requiring surgery, from which he never regained full mobility. The injury progressed to [[Pott disease|tuberculosis of the spine]], leaving him with short stature and a badly deformed [[spine (human anatomy)|spine]] which caused him to appear hunchbacked.<ref>{{cite book |last= Falzerano |first= Chet |date= 2014|title= Spinnin' The Webb: Chick Webb, The Little Giant |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=rxi8oQEACAAJ |publisher= Centerstream |page= 7|isbn= 978-1-57424-309-3}}</ref><ref name="Chick Webb">{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/chick-webb-mn0000110604 |title=Chick Webb |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=December 6, 2012}}</ref> The idea of playing an instrument was suggested by his doctor to "loosen up" his bones. He supported himself as a newspaper boy to save enough money to buy drums, and first played professionally at age 11.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}