(tenor and soprano saxophones; clarinet; arranger; sapporo) was born at Evanston, Cook County, Illinois on 7 December 1902, a son of Elijah and May Irwin. The family resided at Evanston, Illinois in both 1910 and 1920. He recorded in 1929 behind Junie Cobb, Earl Hines, King Oliver, Dixie Rhythm Kings, and Alex Hill. He mainly worked with Earl Hines after December 1928. In 1930 he recorded behind Alex Hill, and Harry Dial. He was enumerated on 12 April 1930 for the 1930 Census, in an Apartment Building at 350 East 56th Street, Enumeration District 16-192, Ward 5, Block 28, Chicago City, Cook County, Illinois. He was renting at $72.00 monthly. He was the household head, aged 27, having married at 24, ‘Musician, Orchestra’. He was born in Illinois, to a father born in South Carolina and mother born in Missouri. His wife was Alona, aged 26, having married at 23. Alona and her father had been born in Arkansas, but her mother was born in North Carolina. Shirley Clay (listed as ‘Shirly Clay’) was a lodger with Cecil. Shirley was aged 29, married at 24, also ‘Musician, Orchestra’. Shirley’s wife was Allie, aged 26, having married at 21. He was born in Missouri, as were his parents. Allie was born in Arkansas, as were her parents. Cecil worked with Earl Hines in 1930 and recorded with Earl from 1932 to 12 February 1935. After the Hines band appeared at the Orpheum Theatre, Des Moines, Cecil died at about 3 a.m. on Friday 3 May 1935 in a collision on US Highway 65 between the Hines’ band’s coach, driven by Joseph Farley of Newark, New Jersey, and a corn truck driven by Omar Cafey of Hampton, Iowa, near Colo, Iowa: per Des Moines Tribune (Iowa), Friday 3 May 1935, page 1. The Hines band used Cecil’s arrangement of RHYTHM SUNDAE at its 10 February 1937 session for Vocalion. His widow was reported as Mrs. Alma Irwin: per California Eagle (Los Angeles, California), Friday 25 October 1935, page 14.