Jimmy Raney

James Elbert Raney (August 20, 1927 – May 10, 1995) was an American jazz guitarist, born in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, known for his work from 1951 to 1952 and then from 1953 to 1954 with the Red Norvo trio (replacing Tal Farlow) and, during the same time period, with Stan Getz. In 1954 and 1955, he won the DownBeat Critics' Poll for guitar. Raney worked in a variety of jazz mediums, including cool jazz, bebop, post bop, hard bop, and mainstream jazz.

In 1946, he worked for a time as guitarist with the Max Miller Quartet at Elmer's in Chicago, his first paying gig. Raney also worked in the Artie Shaw Orchestra and collaborated with Woody Herman for nine months in 1948. He also collaborated and recorded with Buddy DeFranco, Al Haig and later on with Bob Brookmeyer. In 1967, alcoholism and other professional difficulties led him to leave New York City and return to his native Louisville. He resurfaced in the 1970s and also did work with his son Doug, who was also a guitarist.

Raney lived with Ménière's disease for thirty years, a degenerative condition that led to near deafness in both ears, although this did not stop him from playing. He died of heart failure in Louisville on May 10, 1995. His obituary in The New York Times called him "one of the most gifted and influential postwar jazz guitarists in the world".

Birth and Death Data: Born August 20, 1927 (Louisville), Died May 9, 1995 (Louisville)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1944 - 1950

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar

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

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 72160 10-in. 5/24/1944 Two heavens Jerry Wald Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75639 12/30/1949 Orinoco Artie Shaw Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75640 12/30/1949 Mucha de nada Artie Shaw Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75641 1/3/1950 Love is the sweetest thing-1 Artie Shaw Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75642 1/3/1950 I get a kick out of you-2 Artie Shaw Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75677 1/6/1950 There must be something better than love Gramercy Five ; Artie Shaw instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75678 1/6/1950 Nothin' from nothin' Gramercy Five ; Artie Shaw instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75679 1/6/1950 Love walked in-1 Artie Shaw Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 75680 1/6/1950 So easy-2 Artie Shaw Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 76079 4/4/1950 He's gone away Artie Shaw Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 76080 4/4/1950 Foggy foggy dew Artie Shaw Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 76081 4/4/1950 The Continental Artie Shaw Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 76082 4/4/1950 I'll remember April Artie Shaw Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 76099 4/7/1950 Crumbum Gramercy Five ; Artie Shaw instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 76100 4/8/1950 The shekomeko shuffle Gramercy Five ; Artie Shaw instrumentalist, guitar  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Raney, Jimmy," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/339193.

Raney, Jimmy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/339193.

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

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/339193

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