Shelton Hemphill

Shelton "Scad" Hemphill (March 16, 1906 – January 6, 1960) was an American jazz trumpeter whose career lasted from the mid 1920s through the late 1950s.

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Hemphill was still in his teens when he played in the band of Fred Longshaw, which accompanied Bessie Smith on recordings in 1924–25. Also in 1924, at age 18, he enrolled at Wilberforce University in Ohio, and was a member of Horace Henderson's student band alongside Ted and Castor McCord. He moved to New York City late in the 1920s, where he played with Benny Carter and Chick Webb before joining the Mills Blue Rhythm Band, playing with this group from 1931 to 1937. He was in Louis Armstrong's band from 1937 to 1944 and Duke Ellington's from 1944 to 1949. In the 1950s, he played occasionally in New York City but left music due to mounting health problems later in the decade.

Shelton Hemphill died in New York City two months and ten days before his 54th birthday. His demise, along with that of blues singer Gladys Bentley, who died twelve days later, was noted in the syndicated column of music critic Ralph J. Gleason.

He is the father of Barry Shelton Hemphill, who spent a career as a vocal artist in the US Army Chorus, retiring at the rank of E-9. Barry Hemphill was also the Artistic Director of The Metropolitan Chorus in Arlington Virginia for 38 years (1977-2015), and has been the Conductor of the renowned Kennedy Center Messiah Sing along every December 23 in Washington, DC, for over 20 years.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 16, 1906 (Birmingham), Died December, 1959 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1925 - 1946

Roles Represented in DAHR: trumpet, cornet

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

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 76 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 62336 10-in. 7/7/1937 Alexander's ragtime band Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 62337 10-in. 7/7/1937 Cuban Pete Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 62338 10-in. 7/7/1937 I've got a heart full of rhythm Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 62339 10-in. 7/7/1936 Sun showers Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 63775 10-in. 5/13/1938 So little time Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 63776 10-in. 5/13/1938 Mexican swing Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 63777 10-in. 5/13/1938 As long as you live Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 63778 10-in. 5/13/1938 When the Saints go marchin' in Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 63809 10-in. 5/18/1938 on the sentimentccl side Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 63810 10-in. 5/18/1938 It's wonderful Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 63811 10-in. 5/18/1938 Something tells me Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 63812 10-in. 5/18/1938 Love walked in Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 64907 10-in. 1/18/1939 Jeepers creepers Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 64908 10-in. 1/18/1939 What is this thing called swing? Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 65344 10-in. 4/5/1939 Hear me talkin' to ya Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 65345 10-in. 4/5/1939 Save it pretty Mama Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 65346 10-in. 4/5/1939 West End blues Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 65347 10-in. 4/5/1939 Savoy blues Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 65460 10-in. 4/25/1939 (I'm) Confessin' (that I love you) Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 65461 10-in. 4/25/1939 Our Monday date Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 65462 10-in. 4/25/1939 If it's good then I want it Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 65463 10-in. 4/25/1939 Me and Brother Bill Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 65824 10-in. 6/15/1939 Baby, won't you please come home? Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 65825 10-in. 6/15/1939 Poor old Joe Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 65826 10-in. 6/15/1939 Shanty boat on the Mississippi Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
(Results 26-50 of 76 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Hemphill, Shelton," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/204407.

Hemphill, Shelton. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/204407.

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

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/204407

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

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.