Everett Barksdale

Everett Barksdale (April 28, 1910 – January 29, 1986) was an American jazz guitarist and session musician.

He played bass and banjo before settling on guitar. In the 1930s, Barksdale moved to Chicago, where he was in Erskine Tate's band. He recorded for the first time with violinist Eddie South in 1931, and he remained with South until 1939. He moved to New York City and became a member of the Benny Carter big band. Around the same time, he recorded with Sidney Bechet. During the 1940s, he worked for CBS as a session musician.

As a sideman, Barksdale played guitar in many genres. He worked with vocalists Dean Barlow, Maxine Sullivan, the Blenders, and the Clovers. He played on the hit "Love Is Strange" by Mickey & Sylvia, and was music director for the Ink Spots.

Beginning in 1949, he worked with pianist Art Tatum until Tatum died in 1956. During the 1950s and 1960s, he was a member of the house band at ABC.

He played on recordings by Lena Horne, Sammy Davis Jr., Dinah Washington, and Sarah Vaughan. Among his other jazz associations were Milt Hinton, Buddy Tate, Clark Terry, and Louis Armstrong. He also played guitar in the studio for pop and soul musicians such as The Drifters (including on "Under the Boardwalk" and "Saturday Night at the Movies") and Ben E. King.

Barksdale retired from active performance in the 1970s and moved to California. He died in Inglewood, California, in 1986.

Birth and Death Data: Born April 28, 1910 (Detroit), Died January 29, 1986 (Inglewood)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1931 - 1968

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, banjo, vocalist, string bass

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 251 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 75203 8/29/1949 Keeps on rainin' Billie Holiday instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75204 8/29/1949 Them there eyes Billie Holiday instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75221 9/1/1949 Maybe it's because Louis Armstrong instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75222 9/1/1949 I'll keep the lovelight burning Louis Armstrong instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75241 9/8/1949 Do your duty Billie Holiday instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75242 9/8/1949 Gimme a pigfoot and a bottle of beer Billie Holiday instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75342 9/30/1949 You can't lose a broken heart Louis Armstrong ; Billie Holiday instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75343 9/30/1949 My sweet hunk o'trash Louis Armstrong ; Billie Holiday instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75344 9/30/1949 Now or never Billie Holiday instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75584 12/12/1949 Nashville blues Sy Oliver Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75585 12/12/1949 We'll build a bungalow Sy Oliver Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75738 1/24/1950 Deep river Sy Oliver Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75739 1/24/1950 Siesta at the fiesta Sy Oliver Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75801 2/2/1950 Baby, won't you say you love me? Ella Fitzgerald instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75802 2/2/1950 Don'cha go 'way mad Ella Fitzgerald instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75936 3/6/1950 Solid as a rock Ella Fitzgerald instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75937 3/6/1950 I've got the world on a string Ella Fitzgerald instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75938 3/6/1950 Sugarfoot rag Ella Fitzgerald instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75939 3/6/1950 Peas and rice Ella Fitzgerald instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 76290 5/8/1950 Organ grinder's swing Sy Oliver Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 76291 5/8/1950 Four or five times Sy Oliver Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 76292 5/8/1950 T'ain't what you do Sy Oliver Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 76326 5/15/1950 By the river Ste Marie Sy Oliver Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 76327 5/15/1950 Ain't she sweet Sy Oliver Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 76328 5/15/1950 For dancers only Sy Oliver Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
(Results 26-50 of 251 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Barksdale, Everett," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106378.

Barksdale, Everett. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106378.

"Barksdale, Everett." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106378

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