Ulysses Livingston

Ulysses Livingston (January 29, 1912, Bristol, Tennessee - October 7, 1988, Los Angeles) was an American jazz guitarist and bass guitarist.

Livingston's career in music began in the band of Horace Henderson as a roadie (or, as Henderson called them, "valet"). Prior to this he had played in the band of the West Virginia State College. After his period with Henderson he played in carnival bands on traveling road shows. In the middle of the 1930s he began to get jazz gigs with Lil Armstrong, Frankie Newton, Sammy Price, Coleman Hawkins, and Benny Carter. After moving to New York City, he accompanied Ella Fitzgerald on tour and on record. He served briefly in the military during World War II, but returned to jazz playing on the West Coast in 1943. He played with Cee Pee Johnson in Hawaii in 1947.

Alongside his guitar playing, Livingston also sang with the Spirits of Rhythm, and led a group called the Four Blazes. From the 1950s he did freelance work with West Coast jazz musicians and also became active as a record producer. In the 1970s he took up electric bass alongside the guitar, and recorded with both instruments.

Birth and Death Data: Born Bristol, Died October 7, 1988

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1939 - 1959

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, songwriter

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 75 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia 28874 10-in. 10/15/1940 St. Louis blues Benny Carter All Star Orchestra ; Billie Holiday Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia 28875 10-in. 10/15/1940 Loveless love Benny Carter All Star Orchestra ; Billie Holiday Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia 28876 10-in. 10/15/1940 Joe Turner blues Benny Carter All Star Orchestra ; Joe Turner Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Columbia 28877 10-in. 10/15/1940 Beale Street blues Benny Carter All Star Orchestra ; Joe Turner Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, guitar  
Excelsior FB-108 10-in. 1944-1951 Love will bloom in Paris this spring Hollywood's Four Blazes instrumentalist, guitar  
Excelsior FB-109 10-in. 1944-1951 That's a good little old deal Hollywood's Four Blazes instrumentalist, guitar  
Excelsior FB-110 10-in. 1944-1951 I never had a dream to my name Hollywood's Four Blazes instrumentalist, guitar  
Excelsior FB-111 10-in. 1944-1951 The big leg mama's fine Hollywood's Four Blazes instrumentalist, guitar  
Excelsior AM-02780-A 10-in. 12/31/1944 String foo-losophy Joe Comfort ; Eddie Beal Trio ; Ulysses Livingston instrumentalist, guitar, songwriter  
Excelsior AM-02780-A 10-in. 1944-1951 String foo-losophy Eddie Beal Trio instrumentalist, guitar, songwriter  
Decca 65756 10-in. 6/8/1939 Come easy, go easy Rosetta Howard instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 65757 10-in. 6/8/1939 My blues is like whiskey Rosetta Howard instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 65758 10-in. 6/8/1939 The jive is here Rosetta Howard instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 65759 10-in. 6/8/1939 My downfall Rosetta Howard instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 65760 10-in. 6/8/1939 Hog-wild blues Rosetta Howard instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 66245 10-in. 8/30/1939 You ain't had no blues Blue Lu Barker instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 66246 10-in. 8/30/1939 Marked woman Blue Lu Barker instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 66247 10-in. 8/30/1939 Midnight blues Blue Lu Barker instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 66248 10-in. 8/30/1939 Down in the dumps Blue Lu Barker instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 66764 10-in. 10/13/1939 Cheatin' on me Helen Proctor instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 66765 10-in. 10/13/1939 Let's call it a day Helen Proctor instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 66766 10-in. 10/13/1939 Take me along with you Helen Proctor instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 66767 10-in. 10/13/1939 Blues at midnight Helen Proctor instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 67781 10-in. 5/20/1940 Night hop Benny Carter Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 67782 10-in. 5/20/1940 Pom pom Benny Carter Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
(Results 1-25 of 75 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Livingston, Ulysses," accessed December 11, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/327686.

Livingston, Ulysses. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 11, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/327686.

"Livingston, Ulysses." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 11 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/327686

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