Duke Groner
Encyclopedia
Edward "Duke" Groner was an American
jazz
bassist and vocalist.
Groner was born in Ardmore
, Oklahoma
to a musical family, and began on violin as a child but quickly gave it up in favor of piano. He attended Wiley College
, where he sang in college music organizations, then joined the band of Nat Towles
upon graduation. He worked with Towles for several years before branching off with several of Towles's other sidemen to play in New York
with Horace Henderson
at the Apollo Theater
and the Savoy Ballroom
; after the engagements were up, Henderson promptly fired the entire ensemble. Unlike most of Henderson's band, Groner sought to avoid being rehired by Towles, and remained in New York to become one of the house singers at Minton's Playhouse
; Betty Roche
was the other. This allowed him to work alongside Kenny Clarke
and Thelonious Monk
in the Minton's house band
.
He then found a job in Jimmie Lunceford
's band for a few months before returning to Chicago
, where he joined Horace Henderson's new ensemble. When most of Henderson's ensemble, aside from Groner, was drafted
, Groner worked in Chicago with Buster Bennett
, Wild Bill Davis
, and Jelly Holt and His Four Blazers. By 1942 he had started playing upright bass in addition to singing, working toward the end of the decade with Horace Palm and Emmett Spicer in a trio, which made recordings for The Aristocrat label in Chicago, which morphed into Chess Records after 1950. In the 1950s he played with Kirk Stuart
, Hurley Ramey, Wallace Burton, and Jim Beebe.
Groner became ill gradually in his later years, and spent the end of his life in a nursing home
. He died in Chicago in November 1992.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
bassist and vocalist.
Groner was born in Ardmore
Ardmore, Oklahoma
Ardmore is a business, cultural and tourism city in and the county seat of Carter County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 24,283, while a 2007 estimate has the Ardmore micropolitan statistical area totaling 56,694 residents...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
to a musical family, and began on violin as a child but quickly gave it up in favor of piano. He attended Wiley College
Wiley College
Wiley College is a four-year, private, historically black, liberal arts college located on the west side of Marshall, Texas. Founded in 1873 by the Methodist Episcopal Church's Bishop Isaac Wiley and certified in 1882 by the Freedman's Aid Society, it is notable as one of the oldest predominantly...
, where he sang in college music organizations, then joined the band of Nat Towles
Nat Towles
Nat Towles was an African American musician, jazz and big band leader popular in his hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana, North Omaha, Nebraska and Chicago, Illinois. He was also music educator in Austin, Texas...
upon graduation. He worked with Towles for several years before branching off with several of Towles's other sidemen to play in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with Horace Henderson
Horace Henderson
Horace W. Henderson Born in Cuthbert, Georgia , younger brother of Fletcher Henderson, was an American jazz pianist, organist, arranger, and bandleader....
at the Apollo Theater
Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous, and older, music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with Black performers...
and the Savoy Ballroom
Savoy Ballroom
The Savoy Ballroom, located in Harlem, New York City, was a medium sized ballroom for music and public dancing that was in operation from March 12, 1926 to July 10, 1958. It was located between 140th and 141st Streets on Lenox Avenue....
; after the engagements were up, Henderson promptly fired the entire ensemble. Unlike most of Henderson's band, Groner sought to avoid being rehired by Towles, and remained in New York to become one of the house singers at Minton's Playhouse
Minton's Playhouse
Minton’s Playhouse is a jazz club and bar located on the first floor of the Cecil Hotel at 210 West 118th Street in Harlem. Minton’s was founded by tenor saxophonist Henry Minton in 1938...
; Betty Roche
Betty Roché
Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Roché was an American blues singer, who became most famous with her cover of the song "Take the "A" Train". She recorded with the Savoy Sultans, Hot Lips Page, Duke Ellington, Charles Brown and Clark Terry.Roché was born in Wilmington, Delaware, United States...
was the other. This allowed him to work alongside Kenny Clarke
Kenny Clarke
Kenny Clarke , born Kenneth Spearman Clarke, nicknamed "Klook" and later known as Liaqat Ali Salaam, was a jazz drummer and an early innovator of the bebop style of drumming...
and Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
in the Minton's house band
House band
For the British band that existed from 1984-2001, see The House BandA house band is a group of musicians, often centrally organized by a band leader, who regularly play an establishment. It is widely used to refer both to the bands who work on entertainment programs on television or radio, and to...
.
He then found a job in Jimmie Lunceford
Jimmie Lunceford
James Melvin "Jimmie" Lunceford was an American jazz alto saxophonist and bandleader in the swing era.-Biography:...
's band for a few months before returning to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, where he joined Horace Henderson's new ensemble. When most of Henderson's ensemble, aside from Groner, was drafted
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
, Groner worked in Chicago with Buster Bennett
Buster Bennett
Buster Bennett was an American blues saxophonist and vocalist. At various times in his career, he played the soprano saxophone, the alto, and the tenor. He was known for his gutbucket style on the saxophone...
, Wild Bill Davis
Wild Bill Davis
Wild Bill Davis was the stage name of American jazz pianist, organist, and arranger William Strethen Davis.Davis was born in Glasgow, Missouri...
, and Jelly Holt and His Four Blazers. By 1942 he had started playing upright bass in addition to singing, working toward the end of the decade with Horace Palm and Emmett Spicer in a trio, which made recordings for The Aristocrat label in Chicago, which morphed into Chess Records after 1950. In the 1950s he played with Kirk Stuart
Kirk Stuart
Charles Kincheloe "Kirk" Stuart was an American jazz pianist and educator.Stuart studied at a conservatory before accompanying singers such as Billie Holiday , Della Reese , and Sarah Vaughan . He also arranged and conducted for these singers...
, Hurley Ramey, Wallace Burton, and Jim Beebe.
Groner became ill gradually in his later years, and spent the end of his life in a nursing home
Nursing home
A nursing home, convalescent home, skilled nursing unit , care home, rest home, or old people's home provides a type of care of residents: it is a place of residence for people who require constant nursing care and have significant deficiencies with activities of daily living...
. He died in Chicago in November 1992.