Gene Ramey

Gene Ramey (April 4, 1913 – December 8, 1984) was an American jazz double bassist.

Ramey was born in Austin, Texas, United States, and played trumpet in college, but switched to contrabass when playing with George Corley's Royal Aces, The Moonlight Serenaders, and Terrence Holder. In 1932, he moved to Kansas City, Missouri and took up the bass, studying with Walter Page. He became a fixture on the Kansas City swing jazz scene in the 1930s, and played with Jay McShann's orchestra from 1938 to 1943.

In 1944, he moved to New York City, where he played with Lester Young, Count Basie, Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker, Hot Lips Page, Horace Silver, Thelonious Monk (as a member of Monk’s first trio in 1947, together with drummer Art Blakey), and Miles Davis. He transitioned into the bebop style ably, but also continued to play in more swing-oriented outfits. Later in his life he toured Europe with Buck Clayton, and played with Muggsy Spanier, Teddy Wilson, Dick Wellstood, Jimmy Rushing, and Eddie Vinson, in addition to doing several reunion gigs with McShann. In 1976, he moved back to Texas, playing occasionally up until his death from a heart attack in 1984.

Birth and Death Data: Born Austin (seat of Travis County, and capital of the State of Texas), Died December 8, 1984 (Austin (seat of Travis County, and capital of the State of Texas) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1941 - 1960

Roles Represented in DAHR: string bass

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 47 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia CO65017 10-in. 7/7/1960 Shipwrecked blues Jimmy Rushing Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Columbia CO65018 10-in. 7/7/1960 Muddy water Jimmy Rushing Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Columbia CO65019 10-in. 7/7/1960 Gulf Coast blues Jimmy Rushing Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Columbia CO65020 10-in. 7/7/1960 Everybody loves my baby Jimmy Rushing Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Columbia CO65021 10-in. 7/7/1960 Trouble in mind Jimmy Rushing Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Columbia CO65059 10-in. 7/13/1960 Down hearted blues Jimmy Rushing Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Columbia CO65060 10-in. 7/13/1960 Squeeze me Jimmy Rushing Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Columbia CO65061 10-in. 7/13/1960 How come you do me like you do? Jimmy Rushing Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Columbia CO65062 10-in. 7/13/1960 Crazy blues Jimmy Rushing Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Columbia CO65214 10-in. 7/13/1960 Arkansas blues Jimmy Rushing Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band instrumentalist, string bass  
Atlantic 189 10-in. 2/14/1949 Drinkin' wine, spo-dee-o-dee Granville "Sticks" McGhee instrumentalist, string bass  
Atlantic 191 10-in. 2/14/1949 Lonesome road blues Spo-Dee-O-Dee Buddies (Sticks McGhee's) instrumentalist, string bass  
Atlantic 192 10-in. 2/14/1949 Blues mixture (I'd rather drink muddy water) Wilbert "Big Chief" Ellis ; Brownie McGhee ; Granville "Sticks" McGhee ; Gene Ramey instrumentalist, string bass  
Atlantic 193 10-in. 2/14/1949 I'll always remember Gene Ramey ; Spo-Dee-O-Dee Buddies (Sticks McGhee's) instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 70993 10-in. 7/2/1942 Lonely boy blues Jay McShann Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 70994 10-in. 7/2/1942 Get me on your mind Jay McShann Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 70995 10-in. 7/2/1942 The jumpin' blues Jay McShann Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 70996 10-in. 7/2/1942 Sepian bounce-1 Jay McShann Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 71527 12/1/1943 Say forward I'll march Jay McShann Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 71528 10-in. 12/1/1943 Wrong neighborhood Jay McShann Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 71529 10-in. 12/1/1943 Hometown blues Jay McShann Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 71530 10-in. 11/1/1943 Save me some Jay McShann Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 81739 10/20/1951 Buttermilk and beans Hal Singer Orchestra ; The X-Rays instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 81740 10/20/1951 Charmaine Hal Singer Orchestra ; The X-Rays instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 81741 10/20/1951 I've got a pocketful of dreams Hal Singer Orchestra ; The X-Rays instrumentalist, string bass  
(Results 1-25 of 47 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Ramey, Gene," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/339074.

Ramey, Gene. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/339074.

"Ramey, Gene." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/339074

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