Everett Barksdale
Encyclopedia
Everett Barksdale was an American jazz
guitarist and session musician
, Harold Vick
's most used guitarist.
Barksdale played bass and banjo before settling on guitar, and moved to Chicago
early in the 1930s. His first major engagement there was in Erskine Tate
's band, which he followed with a stint behind Eddie South
. Toward the end of the decade he began collaborating with Benny Carter
. In the early part of the next decade, Barksdale moved to New York City
, where he found work in studios and on radio for CBS
.
Barksdale's credits as a session player in the 1940s and 1950s are extensive. He played with vocal ensembles such as The Blenders
and The Clovers
, and accompanied vocalists like Dean Barlow and Maxine Sullivan
. Much of this work was due to his association with producer Joe Davis
. He began working with Art Tatum
late in the 1940s, taking Tiny Grimes
's spot in his trio alongside bassist Slam Stewart
. The association with Tatum would continue until 1956, when Barksdale became musical director of The Ink Spots
. The following year, he played on Mickey & Sylvia
's hit "Love Is Strange
". He played for many years in the house band of ABC
, and played on recordings by Lena Horne
, Sammy Davis, Jr.
, Dinah Washington
, and Sarah Vaughan
. Among his other jazz associations are Milt Hinton
, Buddy Tate, Clark Terry
, and Louis Armstrong
in his later years.
Barksdale retired from active performance in the 1970s and moved to California
. He died there in 1986.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
guitarist and session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
, Harold Vick
Harold Vick
Harold Vick was an American hard bop and soul jazz saxophonist and flautist born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina....
's most used guitarist.
Barksdale played bass and banjo before settling on guitar, and moved to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
early in the 1930s. His first major engagement there was in Erskine Tate
Erskine Tate
Erskine Tate was an American jazz violinist and bandleader.Tate moved to Chicago in 1912 and was an early figure on the Chicago jazz scene, playing with his band, the Vendome Orchestra, at the Vendome Theater, which was located at 31st and State Street...
's band, which he followed with a stint behind Eddie South
Eddie South
Eddie South was an American jazz violinist.-Biography:South was a classical violin prodigy who switched to jazz because of limited opportunities for African-American musicians, and started his career playing in vaudeville and jazz orchestras with Freddie Keppard, Jimmy Wade, Charles Elgar, and...
. Toward the end of the decade he began collaborating with Benny Carter
Benny Carter
Bennett Lester Carter was an American jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. He was a major figure in jazz from the 1930s to the 1990s, and was recognized as such by other jazz musicians who called him King...
. In the early part of the next decade, Barksdale moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he found work in studios and on radio for CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
.
Barksdale's credits as a session player in the 1940s and 1950s are extensive. He played with vocal ensembles such as The Blenders
The Blenders
The Blenders are a vocal quartet based in Minneapolis, Minnesota ....
and The Clovers
The Clovers
-History:The group formed in 1946 at Armstrong High School in Washington, D.C., with members Harold Lucas, Billy Shelton, and Thomas Woods. John "Buddy" Bailey was added soon after, and they began calling themselves the "Four Clovers", with Bailey on lead...
, and accompanied vocalists like Dean Barlow and Maxine Sullivan
Maxine Sullivan
Maxine Sullivan , born Marietta Williams, was an American blues and jazz singer.She was born in Homestead, Pennsylvania, and married jazz musician John Kirby in 1938 , and stride pianist Cliff Jackson in 1956...
. Much of this work was due to his association with producer Joe Davis
Joe Davis
Joe Davis, OBE was a British professional player of snooker and English billiards....
. He began working with Art Tatum
Art Tatum
Arthur "Art" Tatum, Jr. was an American jazz pianist and virtuoso who played with phenomenal facility despite being nearly blind.Tatum is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time...
late in the 1940s, taking Tiny Grimes
Tiny Grimes
Lloyd "Tiny" Grimes was an American jazz and R&B guitarist. He was a member of the Art Tatum Trio from 1943 to 1944, was a backing musician on recording sessions, and later led his own bands, including a recording session with Charlie Parker...
's spot in his trio alongside bassist Slam Stewart
Slam Stewart
Leroy Eliot "Slam" Stewart was an African American jazz bass player whose trademark style was his ability to bow the bass and simultaneously hum or sing an octave higher. He was originally a violin player before switching to bass at the age of 20.-Biography:Stewart was born in Englewood, New...
. The association with Tatum would continue until 1956, when Barksdale became musical director of The Ink Spots
The Ink Spots
The Ink Spots were a popular vocal group in the 1930s and 1940s that helped define the musical genre that led to rhythm and blues and rock and roll, and the subgenre doo-wop...
. The following year, he played on Mickey & Sylvia
Mickey & Sylvia
Mickey & Sylvia was an American R&B duo, composed of Mickey Baker and Sylvia Robinson. They were the first big seller for Groove Records.Mickey was a music instructor and Sylvia one of his pupils. Baker was inspired to form the group by the success of Les Paul & Mary Ford. They had a Top 20 hit...
's hit "Love Is Strange
Love Is Strange
"Love Is Strange" was a crossover hit by American rhythm and blues duet Mickey & Sylvia, which was released in late November 1956 by the Groove record label.The song was based on a guitar riff by Jody Williams. The co-writers of the song are of some dispute...
". He played for many years in the house band of ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, and played on recordings by Lena Horne
Lena Horne
Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was an American singer, actress, civil rights activist and dancer.Horne joined the chorus of the Cotton Club at the age of sixteen and became a nightclub performer before moving to Hollywood, where she had small parts in numerous movies, and more substantial parts in the...
, Sammy Davis, Jr.
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities....
, Dinah Washington
Dinah Washington
Dinah Washington, born Ruth Lee Jones , was an American blues, R&B and jazz singer. She has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the '50s", and called "The Queen of the Blues"...
, and Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."...
. Among his other jazz associations are Milt Hinton
Milt Hinton
Milton John "Milt" Hinton , "the dean of jazz bass players," was an American jazz double bassist and photographer. He was nicknamed "The Judge".-Biography:...
, Buddy Tate, Clark Terry
Clark Terry
Clark Terry is an American swing and bop trumpeter, a pioneer of the fluegelhorn in jazz, educator, NEA Jazz Masters inductee, and recipient of the 2010 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award...
, and Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
in his later years.
Barksdale retired from active performance in the 1970s and moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He died there in 1986.
Discography
- Louis Armstrong: Louis Armstrong And The Angels/ Louis And The Good Book (Universal, 1957-58)
- Chet Baker: Verve Jazz Masters 32 (Verve, 1955-65), Baker's Holiday (Emarcy, 1965)
- Sidney Bechet: 1941-1944 (Classics)
- Benny Carter: 1940-1941 (Classics)
- Edmond Hall: 1944-1945 (Classics)
- Johnny Hodges: Jazz Masters 35 (Verve, 1951-67)
- Billie Holiday: The Complete Original Decca Recordings (GRP,, 1944-1950)
- Jimmy Rushing And The Buck Clyton All-Stars: Jimmy Rushing and the Smith Girls (CBS/Fresh Sound, 1960)
- Maxine Sullivan: 1941-1946 (Classics)
- Art Tatum: The Complete Capitol Recordings of Art Tatum (Capitol, 1949-52)
- Clark TerryClark TerryClark Terry is an American swing and bop trumpeter, a pioneer of the fluegelhorn in jazz, educator, NEA Jazz Masters inductee, and recipient of the 2010 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award...
and Chico O'FarrillChico O'FarrillArturo "Chico" O'Farrill was a composer-arranger best known for his work in the Latin idiom, although he also composed straight-ahead jazz pieces and even symphonic works....
: Spanish RiceSpanish Rice (album)Spanish Rice is an album by American jazz trumpeter Clark Terry and Cuban composer-arranger Chico O'Farrill featuring performances recorded in 1966 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:...
(Impulse!, 1966) - Eddie South: 1923-1937 (Classics)