Hampton was born on 20th April 1908 in Louisville, Kentucky, but moved to Chicago as a child, where he began his career as a drummer. He relocated to Los Angeles to play drums in Les Hite's band. They soon became the house band for Frank Sebastian's New Cotton Club, a popular L.A. jazz club.
During a 1930 recording date in the NBC studios in L.A., Louis Armstrong discovered a vibraphone. He asked Hampton if he could play it. Hampton, who knew how to play the xylophone, tried it and they agreed to record a few records with Hamp on vibes. Hampton is credited with popularizing the vibraphone as a jazz instrument.
In the mid-1930s, the Benny Goodman Orchestra came to Los Angeles to play the Palomar Ballroom. John Hammond brought Goodman to see Hampton play. Goodman asked Hampton to move to New York City and join Goodman, Teddy Wilson, and Gene Krupa who'd already formed a Benny Goodman Trio within the large band - to expand into the Benny Goodman Quartet. The Trio and Quartet were among the first racially integrated bands to record and play before wide audiences; they were just as well received at Goodman's famous 1938 Carnegie Hall concert as was the full Goodman band.
While Hampton worked for Goodman in New York, he recorded with several different small groups known as the Lionel Hampton Orchestra as well as assorted small groups within the Goodman band. In the early 40s he left the Goodman organization to form his own touring band.
Hampton's band fostered the talents of Illinois Jacquet, Dexter Gordon, Ernie Royal, Jack McVea, Charlie Mingus, Monk Montgomery, Wes Montgomery, Quincy Jones, Benny Golson, Fats Navarro, Kenny Dorham, Clifford Brown, Dinah Washington, Betty Carter, Joe Williams, Arnett Cobb, Earl Bostic, and John Colianni among many others.
Hampton's recording of "Flying Home" (1939) with the famous honking tenor sax solo by Jacquet, later refined and expanded by Cobb (1946), is considered by some to be the first rock and roll record. He was known for his tireless energy and his skill on the vibes, drums, and lightning speed two-fingered piano. The bars on the vibraphone are laid out like the piano; Hampton played both instruments the same way.
Beginning in the mid-1980s, Hampton and his band started playing at the University of Idaho's jazz concert, which in 1985 was renamed the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. In 1987 the University's music college was renamed the Lionel Hampton School of Music, the first and only university music college to be named after a jazz musician.
Lionel Hampton died of cardiac arrest at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York on 31st August 2002. He was buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York.
Sweet Georgia Brown
Lionel Hampton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two left feet but oh-so neat has sweet Georgia brown
They all sigh and want to die for sweet Georgia brown
I'll tell you why; you know I don't lie much
It's been said she knocks 'em dead when she lands in town
Since she came, why it's a shame how she coos 'em down
Fellers she can't get are fellers she ain't met
Sweet Georgia brown
The lyrics to Lionel Hampton's song "Sweet Georgia Brown" describe a woman who is highly desirable and captivating. The opening line, "No gal made has got a shade on sweet Georgia brown," suggests that there is no other woman who can compete with Georgia in terms of beauty or charm. Despite this, the singer admits to having "two left feet," indicating that he may not be the most confident or skilled partner on the dance floor. However, he notes that Georgia is "oh-so neat," suggesting that she is easy to dance with and make a good impression on.
Line by Line Meaning
No gal made has got a shade on sweet Georgia brown
No other woman can compare to the beauty and allure of Sweet Georgia Brown.
Two left feet but oh-so neat has sweet Georgia brown
Despite her clumsiness, Sweet Georgia Brown is extremely graceful and charming.
They all sigh and want to die for sweet Georgia brown
Men are so smitten with Sweet Georgia Brown that they would do anything for her.
I'll tell you why; you know I don't lie much
The singer is about to reveal the reason why Sweet Georgia Brown is so irresistible.
It's been said she knocks 'em dead when she lands in town
Sweet Georgia Brown has a dramatic impact on the men of the town when she arrives.
Since she came, why it's a shame how she coos 'em down
Sweet Georgia Brown easily charms the men around her, to the point where it is almost a shame.
Fellers she can't get are fellers she ain't met
The only men who resist Sweet Georgia Brown's charms are the ones who haven't met her yet.
Georgia claimed her, Georgia named her
Sweet Georgia Brown's home state of Georgia is proud to claim her as its own.
Sweet Georgia brown
A repeated reference to the irresistible and captivating woman that is the subject of the song.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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Mr Spencer
Soothing To My Ears
Tony Agutter Rod building TV CHANNELL
il miglior ambasciatore di musica jazz e di se stesso che l'america abbia mai potuto avere. Un grande ..the real swing machine!
Tony Agutter Rod building TV CHANNELL
...la voce troppo troppo swing!