Eddie Durham

Eddie Durham (August 19, 1906 – March 6, 1987) was an American musician, who pioneered the use of the electric guitar in jazz. He was a guitarist, trombonist, composer, and arranger for the orchestras of Bennie Moten, Jimmie Lunceford, and Count Basie.

With Edgar Battle he composed "Topsy", which was recorded by Count Basie and became a hit for Benny Goodman.

In 1938, Durham co-wrote "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire", with Bennie Benjamin, Sol Marcus and Eddie Seiler. During the 1940s, Durham created Eddie Durham's All-Star Girl Orchestra, an African-American all female swing band that toured the United States and Canada.

Birth and Death Data: Born August 19, 1906 (San Marcos), Died March 6, 1987 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1928 - 1942

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, trombone, arranger, composer, songwriter

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

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 152 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-62927 10-in. 10/31/1930 Somebody stole my gal Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten ; Jimmy Rushing Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar, trombone  
Victor BVE-62928 10-in. 10/31/1930 Now that I need you Count Basie ; Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar, trombone  
Victor BVE-62929 10-in. 10/31/1930 Bouncin' round Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, guitar, trombone  
Victor BVE-62930 10-in. 10/31/1930 Break a day schuffle Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten Jazz/dance band composer, instrumentalist, guitar, trombone  
Victor BRC-68900 10-in. 4/15/1931 I wanna be around my baby all the time Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten ; Jimmy Rushing Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar, trombone  
Victor BS-74846 10-in. 12/13/1932 Toby Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, guitar, trombone  
Victor BS-74847 10-in. 12/13/1932 Moten's swing Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, guitar, trombone  
Victor BS-74848 10-in. 12/13/1932 Blue room Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, guitar, trombone  
Victor BS-74849 10-in. 12/13/1932 Imagination Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio instrumentalist, guitar, trombone  
Victor BS-74850 10-in. 12/13/1932 New Orleans Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten ; Jimmy Rushing Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar, trombone  
Victor BS-74851 10-in. 12/13/1932 The only girl I ever loved Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio instrumentalist, guitar, trombone  
Victor BS-74852 10-in. 12/13/1932 Milenberg joys Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, guitar, trombone  
Victor BS-74853 10-in. 12/13/1932 Lafayette Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten Jazz/dance band composer, instrumentalist, trombone, guitar  
Victor BS-74854 10-in. 12/13/1932 Prince of Wales Count Basie ; Kansas City Orchestra ; Bennie Moten Jazz/dance band, with piano instrumentalist, guitar, trombone  
Victor BS-028943 10-in. 11/10/1938 Topsy Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BS-031876 10-in. 2/1/1939 Sent for you yesterday and here you come today Benny Goodman Orchestra ; Johnny Mercer Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-037182 10-in. 6/2/1939 Slip horn jive Glenn Miller Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BS-038140 10-in. 7/26/1939 Glen Island Special Glenn Miller Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BS-038171 10-in. 8/1/1939 Wham (Re-bop-boom-bam) Glenn Miller Orchestra ; Marion Hutton Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo and vocal ensemble songwriter  
Victor BS-047796 10-in. 3/11/1940 I don't want to set the world on fire Harlan Leonard ; Rockets ; Myra Taylor Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-053209 10-in. 7/15/1940 My pop gave me a nickel Harlan Leonard ; Rockets ; Myra Taylor Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo songwriter  
Victor PBS-061544 10-in. 8/20/1941 Swingin' on a "C" Earl Hines Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BS-064807 10-in. 8/25/1941 I don't want to set the world on fire Skinnay Ennis Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-064975 10-in. 10/10/1941 I don't want to set the world on fire Cats and the Fiddle Male vocal solo, with vocal and instrumental quartet composer  
Victor BS-067670 10-in. 8/25/1941 I don't want to set the world on fire Mitchell Ayres ; Meredith Blake ; Fashions-in-Music ; Four Trumpet-Ayres Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo and male vocal quartet composer  
(Results 26-50 of 152 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Durham, Eddie," accessed February 6, 2023, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109223.

Durham, Eddie. (2023). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved February 6, 2023, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109223.

"Durham, Eddie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2023. Web. 6 February 2023.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109223

External Sources

Wikipedia: Eddie Durham

Discogs: Eddie Durham

Allmusic: Eddie Durham

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Durham, Eddie, 1906-1987 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no91030669

Wikidata: Eddie Durham - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q727693

VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/74037362

MusicBrainz: Eddie Durham - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/216b558a-3909-4ea5-9364-7c7c1f9e965d

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

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