Career
Irwin played early in his career with Carroll Dickerson, Erskine Tate, and Junie Cobb before joining Earl Hines"s band as a saxophonist and arranger. He worked for several years with Hines in a variety of ensembles, recording with him extensively. He also played during this time as a sideman with Johnny Dodds, Jabbo Smith, King Oliver, and Joe Venuti.
In 1935 he was killed in a car crash while on tour in Des Moines, Iowa.
