Brother Bones
Encyclopedia
Brother Bones was an American whistling
and bone
playing recording artist from Montgomery
, Alabama
. Born Freeman Davis, his late 1940s recording of the 1925 standard "Sweet Georgia Brown
," became internationally famous after being adopted as the theme song of the Harlem Globetrotters
basketball team in 1952. Despite the success of this record, Brother Bones himself remained relatively unknown.
Another of his recordings, "Black Eyed Susan Brown", was sampled in the De La Soul
song, "Pease Porridge," on their 1991 album
, De La Soul is Dead
.
"Sweet Georgia Brown" was used in the Vauxhall Meriva
television advertisement
in the UK
.
He died in June 1974, in Long Beach, California
, at the age of 71.
Whistling
Human whistling is the production of sound by means of carefully controlling a stream of air flowing through a small hole. Whistling can be achieved by creating a small opening with one's lips and then blowing or sucking air through the hole...
and bone
Bones (instrument)
The bones are a musical instrument which, at the simplest, consists of a pair of animal bones, or pieces of wood or a similar material. Sections of large rib bones and lower leg bones are the most commonly used true bones, although wooden sticks shaped like the earlier true bones are now more...
playing recording artist from Montgomery
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. Born Freeman Davis, his late 1940s recording of the 1925 standard "Sweet Georgia Brown
Sweet Georgia Brown
"Sweet Georgia Brown" is a jazz standard and pop tune written in 1925 by Ben Bernie and Maceo Pinkard and Kenneth Casey .The tune was first recorded on March 19, 1925 by bandleader Ben Bernie, resulting in a five-week No. 1 for Ben Bernie and his Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra...
," became internationally famous after being adopted as the theme song of the Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
basketball team in 1952. Despite the success of this record, Brother Bones himself remained relatively unknown.
Another of his recordings, "Black Eyed Susan Brown", was sampled in the De La Soul
De La Soul
De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...
song, "Pease Porridge," on their 1991 album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, De La Soul is Dead
De La Soul Is Dead
De La Soul Is Dead is De La Soul's second full-length album, released in 1991 . The album was produced by Prince Paul, whose work on 3 Feet High and Rising was highly praised by music critics. The album was one of the first to receive a five mic rating in the Hip hop magazine The Source...
.
"Sweet Georgia Brown" was used in the Vauxhall Meriva
Opel Meriva
The Opel Meriva is a compact MPV engineered and produced by the German automaker Opel. The car is sold under the Opel brand on all of the European markets with the exception of the United Kingdom, where it is called the Vauxhall Meriva, and Latin America, where it carried the Chevrolet badge. It...
television advertisement
Television advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
He died in June 1974, in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, at the age of 71.
External links
- Recordings of Brother Bones at the Online Guide to Whistling Records
- Who is Brother Bones? on BoneDryMusic.com