▁kid ▁and ▁that ▁he ▁learned ▁to ▁play ▁music ▁just ▁as ▁it ▁was ▁written . ▁ ▁Kir by ' s ▁formal ▁education ▁ended ▁around ▁ 1 9 2 3 . ▁That ▁same ▁year , ▁he ▁met ▁Mary ▁Mot en ▁of ▁A irm ont , ▁Virginia , ▁and ▁they ▁married ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁August ▁ 1 9 2 5 . ▁On ▁ 1 4 ▁December ▁ 1 9 2 5 , ▁Mary ▁gave ▁birth ▁to ▁Y v onne ▁Const ance ▁Kirk . ▁Based ▁on ▁known ▁affili ations ▁( Y v onne , ▁Pow ell ▁Gib son , ▁Mary ▁Mot en ▁and ▁former ▁school mate , ▁Anna ▁Ber tha ), ▁Kir by ' s ▁father ▁lived ▁in ▁Baltimore ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁frequent ▁visitor ▁to ▁the ▁Win chester ▁area . ▁By ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁Kir by ▁was ▁a ▁successful ▁side man ▁on ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁jazz ▁scene , ▁and ▁his ▁eleven - year - old ▁daughter , ▁Y v onne ▁( a ▁student ▁at ▁Doug lass ) ▁heard ▁stories ▁about ▁her ▁successful ▁father ▁from ▁Pow ell ▁Gib son . ▁ ▁B ands ▁and ▁recording ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 7 , ▁Kir by ▁arrived ▁in ▁Baltimore , ▁where ▁he ▁met ▁trom bon ist ▁Jimmy ▁Harrison , ▁sa x oph on ist ▁Cole man ▁Haw kins ▁and ▁composer ▁Duke ▁Ell ington . ▁Harrison ▁persu aded ▁Kir by ▁to ▁switch ▁from ▁trom bone ▁to ▁t uba . ▁Short ly ▁after ▁his ▁arrival ▁in ▁New ▁York , ▁Kir by ▁played ▁t uba ▁with ▁Bill ▁Brown