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 51-75 of 76 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 66984 10-in. 12/18/1939 Poor old Joe Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 66985 10-in. 12/18/1939 You're a lucky guy Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 66986 10-in. 12/18/1939 You're just a no account Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 66987 10-in. 12/18/1939 Bye and bye Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67321 10-in. 3/14/1940 Hep cat's ball Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67322 10-in. 3/14/1940 You've got me voodoo'd Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67323 10-in. 3/14/1940 Harlem stomp Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67324 10-in. 3/14/1940 Wolverine blues Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67325 10-in. 3/14/1940 Lazy 'sippi steamer Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67648 10-in. 5/1/1940 Sweethearts on parade Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67649 10-in. 5/1/1940 You run your mouth, I'll run my business Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67650 10-in. 5/1/1940 Cut off my legs and call me Shorty Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 67651 10-in. 5/1/1940 Cain and Abel Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 93787 10-in. 11/16/1941 When it's sleepy time down south Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 93788 10-in. 11/16/1941 Leap frog Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 93789 10-in. 11/16/1941 I used to love you (but it's all over now) Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 93790 10-in. 11/16/1941 (I'll be glad when you're dead) You rascal you Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca DLA 1132 10-in. 1/12/1938 Satchel mouth swing Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca DLA 1133 10-in. 1/12/1938 Jubilee Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca DLA 1134 10-in. 1/12/1938 Struttin' with some barbecue Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca DLA 1135 10-in. 1/12/1938 The trumpet player's lament Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca DLA 2974 10-in. 4/17/1942 (Get some) Cash for your trash Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca DLA 2975 10-in. 4/17/1942 Among my souvenirs Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca DLA 2976 10-in. 4/17/1942 Coquette Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca DLA 2977 10-in. 4/17/1942 I never knew Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
(Results 51-75 of 76 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Hemphill, Shelton," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/204407.

Hemphill, Shelton. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/204407.

"Hemphill, Shelton." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 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.