PARKER, Charles Charlie, Jr. (1920-1955). Typed letter signed (Charlie Par

PARKER, Charles Charlie, Jr. (1920-1955). Typed letter signed (Charlie Parker) to Leo Cluesmann, Secretary of the American Federation of Musicians, New York, c.1951. One page, 275 x 215mm (soiled at margins, minor loss at top margin). Parker appeals a union fne levied after his resignation from the American Federation of Musicians. Parker presents a detailed appeal against a fne of $350 that was imposed following his resignation from the union for playing in another local’s jurisdiction while not having his union card with him. Back in November 1950, Local 767 wrote me that I owed them $21.50 in order to resign. I told Local 802 about this and also advised them that I had resigned from that Local some time previously and that the former president had accepted that resignation. After leaving for Europe believing that the union would discover the error and waive the fne, he returned to the United States to learn that this was not the case. Parker explained that he had worn a new suit to the fateful gig and had forgotten his union card. Although he produced it the following day, the union still insisted on fning him. I do agree that I should have had it, but after all we are only human and it is not a great deal to require that a union take a human attitude toward its members.