Name Skeeter Best | ||
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Died May 27, 1985, The Bronx, New York City, New York, United States Similar People Charlie Persip, Percy Heath, John Lewis, Sonny Stitt, Dizzy Gillespie | ||
Skeeter Best Top #5 Facts
Clifton "Skeeter" Best (November 20, 1914, Kinston, North Carolina – May 27, 1985, Bronx, New York) was an American jazz guitarist.
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Best played in Philadelphia from 1935 to 1940, recording with Slim Marshall and Erskine Hawkins. In 1940 he joined Earl Hines's orchestra, playing with him until he joined the U.S. Navy in 1942. After the war he played with Bill Johnson from 1945 to 1949. He toured East Asia with Oscar Pettiford in 1951 and 1952, and formed his own trio in the 1950s. He did a critically acclaimed session with Ray Charles and Milt Jackson in 1957 called Soul Brothers.
In 1958 he recorded with Mercer Ellington and taught in New York City. He also recorded with Harry Belafonte, Etta Jones, Nellie Lutcher, Milt Hinton, Osie Johnson, Paul Quinichette, Jimmy Rushing, Sonny Stitt, Sir Charles Thompson, and Lucky Thompson.