The Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival is held annually in Davenport, Iowa. Leon Bismark (Bix) Beiderbecke was born in Davenport, Iowa in 1903 and died in New York on August 6, 1931 at the age of 28. Acknowledged as one of the greatest cornetists of his time, he was well known in the jazz circles of Chicago, New York, and Paris. Hailed by such contemporaries as Hoagy Carmichael, Bing Crosby, Paul Whiteman and Louis Armstrong, it is widely accepted that Bix was a musical genius who died before his time.

Iowa Public Television first recorded programs at The Bix Jazz Festival in 1975 and has subsequently returned 12 times to produce over 200 traditional jazz programs for viewers at over 100 stations in the Public Broadcasting System.