As one of the first modern jazz guitarists, Billy Bauer was more than just a sideman, despite the title of his autobiography. His attitude was progressive as was his playing, and throughout his career he was in-demand with the greatest jazz musicians of the 20th century including Benny Goodman, Lester Young, and Charlie Parker. Bauer too held a prestigeous and coveted staff guitarist gig at NBC, and also went on to become a celebrated teacher of future greats such as Joe Satriani. Though he emerged during the Bebop era, he rapidly became prominent in the “cool” movement of the 1950s.