Albert Edwin Condon, known as Eddie Condon, was born on November 16, 1905, in Goodland, Indiana. He grew up in Momence and Chicago Heights, Illinois. Condon began his musical journey with the ukulele before switching to the banjo and eventually becoming a professional musician by the age of 15. He was part of the Austin High Gang, a group of young white musicians in Chicago who were heavily influenced by jazz legends like King Oliver and Louis Armstrong.

Condon made his first recordings with the Austin High Gang in 1927, contributing to what would later be known as "Chicago jazz." He moved to New York City in 1928, where he became a key figure in the jazz scene, organizing racially integrated recording sessions and working with artists such as Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, and Red Nichols. Condon was also associated with Milt Gabler's Commodore Records from 1938.

Throughout his career, Condon was more than just a musician; he was an organizer, a musical choreographer, and a propagandist for jazz. He was known for his ability to set tempos and inspire musicians with his rhythm guitar, despite rarely taking solos or singing after the 1920s. He played a significant role in formalizing what became known as Dixieland jazz, although he disliked the term.

In the late 1930s, Condon became a regular at the Manhattan jazz club Nick's, where he and his colleagues developed a sophisticated variation of Dixieland music. He also ran his own jazz club, Eddie Condon's, from 1945 to 1967, which became a hub for jazz musicians and enthusiasts. Condon recorded a series of classic albums for Columbia Records in the 1950s and toured Britain in 1957.

Eddie Condon passed away on August 4, 1973, in New York City, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most important figures in classic jazz. His contributions to the genre, particularly in organizing and promoting jazz music, continue to be celebrated.