Wendell Culley

Wendell Philips Culley (January 8, 1906 in Worcester, Massachusetts – May 8, 1983 in Los Angeles, CA) was an American jazz trumpeter and occasional multi instrumentalist.

Growing up in Worcester, Culley played regularly at the AME Zion Church, in the Commerce High School band, and occasionally with Mamie Moffitt and Her Five Jazz Hounds. He also played in Boots Ward's Nite Hawks, and in working groups with his brother Ray, a drummer and singer. His older sister is actress, Zara Cully, best known for her role as Olivia 'Mother Jefferson' Jefferson on the CBS sitcom The Jeffersons.

In 1931, he moved to New York City, where he found early work playing with Horace Henderson and Cab Calloway. He then spent 11 years in the employ of Noble Sissle, recording with him extensively. Following this, he played French horn with Harry James and His Orchestra on a 1942 recording, then tenor saxophone on a 1943-1951 Dinah Washington recording, Lionel Hampton (1944–49) and then worked again briefly with Sissle before playing in the Count Basie Orchestra from 1951 to 1959. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he doubled on trombone with a Billy Eckstine recording.

After working with Basie, Culley retired from music and pursued a career in insurance.

Birth and Death Data: Born January 8, 1906 (Worcester), Died May 8, 1983 (Los Angeles)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1930 - 1963

Roles Represented in DAHR: trumpet, composer

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 66 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia [W]149795 10-in. 1/22/1930 Cotton pickers' shuffle Georgia Cotton Pickers [George Tynes] Jazz/dance band composer  
Decca 60888 10-in. 3/11/1936 That's what love did co me Noble Sissle Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 60889 10-in. 3/11/1936 You can't live in Harlem Noble Sissle Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 60890 10-in. 3/11/1936 I wonder who made rhythm Noble Sissle Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 60891 10-in. 3/11/1936 'Tain't a fit night out for man or beast Noble Sissle Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 60892 10-in. 3/11/1936 I take to you Noble Sissle Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 60893 10-in. 3/11/1936 Rhythm of the Broadway moon Noble Sissle Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 72871 10-in. 5/21/1945 Doublin' with Dublin Lionel Hampton Sextet instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 72872 10-in. 5/21/1945 Ribs and hot sauce Lionel Hampton Sextet instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 72873 10-in. 5/21/1945 Blow top blues Lionel Hampton Sextet instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 72874 10-in. 5/21/1945 Two fingers boogie Lionel Hampton Sextet instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 72875 10-in. 5/21/1945 Someday Lionel Hampton Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 72876 10-in. 5/21/1945 Beulah's boogie Lionel Hampton Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 72881 10-in. 5/21/1945 Playboy Lionel Hampton Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 72882 10-in. 5/21/1945 Punch and Judy Lionel Hampton Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 73287 1/21/1946 Pinetop's boogie woogie-1 Bing Crosby instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 73288 1/21/1946 On the sunny side of the street-2 Bing Crosby instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 73324 1/29/1946 Rockin' in rhythm, part 1 Lionel Hampton Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 73325 1/29/1946 Rockin' in rhythm, part 2 Lionel Hampton Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 73326 1/29/1946 Gay notes Lionel Hampton Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 73327 1/29/1946 Tempo's birthday Lionel Hampton Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 73332 1/31/1946 Cobb's idea Lionel Hampton Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 73333 1/31/1946 Air mail special, part 1 Lionel Hampton Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 73334 1/31/1946 Air Mail special, part 2 Lionel Hampton Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
Decca 74730 1/28/1949 Hamp's boogie woogie No.2 Lionel Hampton Orchestra instrumentalist, trumpet  
(Results 1-25 of 66 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Culley, Wendell," accessed March 29, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107317.

Culley, Wendell. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107317.

"Culley, Wendell." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 29 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107317

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

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.