Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002), was an American
jazzJazz is a musical art form which originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions....
vibraphonistNotable players of the vibraphone include:* Roy Ayers* Karl Berger* Jeff Berman* Austin Billings* Jack Brokensha* Larry Bunker* Rusty Burge* Gary Burton* Vivian Campbell of Def Leppard* Joe Chambers* Teddy Charles* John Cocuzzi* Monte Croft* Ed Saindon...
,
pianistA pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers....
, percussionist,
bandleaderA bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
and
actorAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. Like
Red NorvoRed Norvo was one of jazz's early vibraphonists, known as "Mr. Swing". He helped establish the xylophone and later the vibraphone as viable jazz instruments...
, he was one of the first jazz
vibraphoneThe vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the mallet subfamily of the percussion family....
players. Hampton ranks among the great names in jazz history, having worked with a who's who of jazz musicians, from
Benny GoodmanBenjamin David Goodman was an American jazz musician, clarinetist and bandleader, known as "King of Swing", "Patriarch of the Clarinet", "The Professor", and "Swing's Senior Statesman"....
and
Buddy RichBernard "Buddy" Rich was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Rich was billed as "the world's greatest drummer" and was known for his virtuosic technique, power, groove, and speed.-Early life:...
to
Charlie ParkerCharles Parker, Jr. was an American jazz saxophonist and composer.Parker, with Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, is often considered one of the most influential of jazz musicians...
and
Quincy JonesQuincy Delight Jones, Jr. is an American music conductor, record producer, musical arranger, film composer and trumpeter. During five decades in the entertainment industry, Jones has earned a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend Award in 1991...
. In 1992, he was inducted into the
Alabama Jazz Hall of FameThe Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame was founded in 1978, and opened a museum on September 18, 1993, with a mission "to foster, encourage, educate, and cultivate a general appreciation of the medium of jazz music as a legitimate, original and distinctive art form indigenous to America...
.
Early life
Lionel Hampton was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1908, and was raised by his grandmother. Shortly after he was born, he and his mother moved to her hometown Birmingham, Alabama. . He then spent his early childhood in
Kenosha, WisconsinKenosha is a city in and the county seat of Kenosha County, United States. The city motto is "Great Town - Great People - Great Lake". With an estimated 2006 population of 96,240, Kenosha is the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. The city lies on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan, south of...
before he and his family moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1916. As a youth, Hampton was a member of the
Bud Billiken ClubThe Bud Billiken Club was a club for black youths in Chicago founded by the Chicago Defender founder Robert Sengstacke Abbott and its editor, Lucius Harper, in 1923...
, an alternative to the
Boy Scouts of AmericaThe Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over four million youth members in its age-related divisions...
due to
segregationRacial segregation is the separation of different racial groups in daily life, such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a washroom, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home. Segregation may be mandated by law or exist through social...
. During the 1920s—while still a teenager—Hampton took
xylophoneThe xylophone is a musical instrument in the percussion family which probably originated in Slovakia. It consists of wooden bars of various lengths that are struck by plastic, wooden, or rubber mallets. Each bar is tuned to a specific pitch of the musical scale...
lessons from
Jimmy BertrandJimmy Bertrand was an American jazz and blues drummer.Bertrand was born in Biloxi, Mississippi and was active on the Chicago blues/jazz scene of the 1920s...
and started playing
drumsA drum set is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person . The term "drum kit" first became used in the 1700s in Britain...
. Hampton was raised Roman Catholic, and started out playing
fifeFife is a council area of Scotland, situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire. It was originally one of the Pictish kingdoms, known as Fib, and is still commonly known as the Kingdom of Fife within Scotland.It is a...
and drum at the Holy Rosary Academy near Chicago.
Early career
Lionel Hampton began his career playing drums for the Chicago Defender Newsboy's Band while still a teenager in Chicago, a group that was led by Major N. Clark Smith. He moved to
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
in 1927 or 1928, playing drums for the Dixieland Blues-Blowers. He made his recording debut with The Quality Serenaders led by Paul Howard, then left for Culver City and drummed for the
Les HiteLes Hite was an American jazz bandleader.Hite attended the University of Illinois and played saxophone with family members in a band in the 1920s. Following this, he played with Detroit Shannon and then the Helen Dewey Show, but when this group disbanded abruptly, Hite relocated to Los Angeles...
band at Sebastian's Cotton Club. During this period he began practicing on the
vibraphoneThe vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the mallet subfamily of the percussion family....
. In 1930
Louis ArmstrongLouis Daniel Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
came to California and hired the Les Hite band, asking Hampton if he would play vibes on two songs. So began his career as a vibraphonist, popularizing the use of the instrument ever since.
While working with the Les Hite band, Hampton also occasionally did some performing with Nat Shilkrer and his orchestra. During the early 1930s he studied music at the
University of Southern CaliforniaThe University of Southern California is a private, nonsectarian, research university located in the University Park neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, USA...
. In 1934 he led his own orchestra, and then appeared in the 1936
Bing CrosbyHarry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American popular singer and actor whose career stretched over more than half a century from 1926 until his death....
film
Pennies From Heaven alongside Louis Armstrong (wearing a mask in a scene while playing drums).
With Benny Goodman
Also in November 1936, the
Benny GoodmanBenjamin David Goodman was an American jazz musician, clarinetist and bandleader, known as "King of Swing", "Patriarch of the Clarinet", "The Professor", and "Swing's Senior Statesman"....
Orchestra came to Los Angeles to play the
Palomar BallroomThe Palomar Ballroom, built in 1925, was a famous ballroom in Los Angeles, California, in the United States. It was destroyed by a fire in late 1939....
.
John HammondJohn Henry Hammond II was a record producer, musician and music critic from the 1930s to the early 1980s. In his service as a talent scout, Hammond became one of the most influential figures in 20th century popular music....
brought Goodman to see Hampton play. Hampton backed
Billie Holiday Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed Lady Day by her loyal friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday was a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing...
with the Goodman orchestra, which was discovered by Hammond. and Goodman asked Hampton to join the Benny Goodman Trio, made up of Goodman,
Teddy WilsonTheodore Shaw "Teddy" Wilson was a jazz pianist from the United States born in Austin, Texas. His sophisticated and elegant style graced the records of many of the biggest names in jazz, including Louis Armstrong, Lena Horne, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald...
, and
Gene KrupaGene Krupa was an influential American jazz and big band drummer and composer, known for his highly energetic and flamboyant style.-Biography:...
, expanding it into the Benny Goodman Quartet. The Trio and Quartet were among the first racially integrated jazz groups to record and play before wide audiences, and were a leading small-group in an era when jazz was dominated by big bands.
Lionel Hampton Orchestra
While Hampton worked for Goodman in
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, he recorded with several different small groups known as the Lionel Hampton Orchestra as well as assorted small groups within the Goodman band. In 1940 Hampton left the Goodman organization under amicable circumstances to form his own
big bandA big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with playing jazz music and which became popular during the Swing Era from the early 1930s until the late 1940s. Big bands evolved with the times and continue to today. A big band typically consists of approximately 12 to 25 musicians and...
.
Hampton's orchestra became very popular during the 1940s and early 1950s. His third recording with them in 1942 produced a classic version of "Flying Home", featuring a solo by
Illinois JacquetJean-Baptiste Illinois Jacquet was a jazz tenor saxophonist most famous for his solo on "Flying Home", recognized as the first R&B sax solo...
that paved the way for Rhythm & Blues. The selection became very popular, and so in 1944 Hampton recorded "Flying Home, Number Two" featuring
Arnett CobbArnett Cobb was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Cobb was born Arnette Cleophus Cobbs in Houston, Texas. His musical career began with the local bands of Chester Boone, from 1934 to 1936, and Milt Larkin, from 1936 to 1942...
. The song went on to become the theme song for all three men. Guitarist
Billy MackelJohn William "Billy" Mackel was an American jazz guitarist.Mackel played banjo early in his career in his home town of Baltimore, but switched to guitar in the 1930s. He led his own band early in the 1940s, then joined Lionel Hampton in 1944...
first joined Hampton in 1944, and would perform and record with him almost continuously through the late 1970s. In 1947 he recorded
Stardust"Stardust" is an American popular song composed in 1927 by Hoagy Carmichael with lyrics added in 1929 by Mitchell Parish.-Composition:"Stardust"...
at a "Just Jazz" concert with
Charlie ShaversCharlie James Shavers was a swing era jazz trumpet player who played at one time or another with Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Eldridge, Johnny Dodds, Jimmy Noone, Sidney Bechet, Midge Williams and Billie Holiday...
and
Slam StewartLeroy Eliot 'Slam' Stewart was an African American jazz bass player whose trademark style was his ability to bow the bass and simultaneously hum or sing an octave higher. He was originally a violin player before switching to bass at the age of 20.-Biography:Stewart was born in Englewood, New...
.
Hampton's band played in a jazz, merged with rhythm & blues vein from around 1945 to the early 1950s. Represented in recordings on
Decca RecordsDecca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; later the link with the British company was broken for several decades...
, the band included performers that achieved renown in their own right in the 1950s and 1960s, composer and bassist
Charles MingusCharles Mingus, Jr. was an American jazz bassist, composer, bandleader, and pianist. He was also known for his activism against racial injustice....
, saxophonist
Johnny GriffinJohn Arnold Griffin III was an American bop and hard bop tenor saxophonist.- Early life and career :Griffin studied music at DuSable High School under Walter Dyett, starting out on clarinet before moving on to oboe and then alto sax...
, guitarist
Wes MontgomeryJohn Leslie "Wes" Montgomery was an American jazz guitarist. He is generally considered one of the major jazz guitarists, emerging after such seminal figures as Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian and influencing countless others, including Pat Martino, George Benson, and Pat Metheny.-...
, vocalist
Dinah WashingtonDinah Washington was a blues, R&B and jazz singer. Despite dying at the early age of 39, Washington became one of the most influential vocalists of the twentieth century,. She is a 1986 inductee of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.-Early life:Washington was born Ruth Lee Jones in Tuscaloosa, Alabama...
and keyboardist
Milt BucknerMilt Buckner was an American jazz pianist and organist, originally from St. Louis, Missouri. He was orphaned as a child, but an uncle in Detroit taught him to play...
. Other noteworthy performers in the orchestra then included trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie, Cat Anderson,
Kenny DorhamMcKinley Howard Dorham was an American jazz trumpeter, singer, and composer born in Fairfield, Texas. Dorham's talent is frequently lauded by critics and other musicians, but he never received the kind of attention from the jazz establishment that many of his peers did...
and
Snooky YoungEugene "Snooky" Young is an American jazz trumpeter. He is known for his mastery of the plunger mute, with which he is able to create a wide range of sounds.Young was lead trumpeter of the Jimmie Lunceford band from 1939 to 1942...
, trombonist
Jimmy ClevelandJimmy Cleveland was an American jazz trombone virtuoso born in Wartrace, Tennessee.Cleveland worked with many well-known jazz musicians, including Lionel Hampton, Miles Davis, Sarah Vaughan, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Quincy Jones, Lucky Thompson, Gigi Gryce, Oscar Peterson, Oscar Pettiford and James...
and saxophonists Illinois Jacquet and
Jerome RichardsonJerome Richardson was an American jazz musician, tenor saxophonist, and flute player, who also played alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet and piccolo...
.
In 1953 the orchestra toured
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
with
Clifford BrownClifford Brown , aka "Brownie," was an influential and highly rated American jazz trumpeter. He died aged 25, leaving behind only four years' worth of recordings...
,
Gigi GryceGigi Gryce was an American saxophonist, flutist, clarinetist, composer, arranger, educator, and big band bandleader...
,
George WallingtonGeorge Wallington was a highly regarded American bop pianist and composer....
and
Art FarmerArthur Stewart Farmer , was an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player...
in his lineup;
Quincy JonesQuincy Delight Jones, Jr. is an American music conductor, record producer, musical arranger, film composer and trumpeter. During five decades in the entertainment industry, Jones has earned a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend Award in 1991...
was arranger/trumpeter and
Annie RossAnnie Ross is a British jazz singer and actress, best known as a member of the trio Lambert, Hendricks & Ross.-Early years:...
sang. Hampton continued to record with small groups and jam sessions during the 1940s and 1950s, with groups including
Oscar PetersonOscar Emmanuel Peterson, CC, CQ, O.Ont. was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. He was called the "Maharaja of the keyboard" by Duke Ellington, "O.P." by his friends, and was a member of jazz royalty. He released over 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, and received other numerous awards...
,
Art TatumArthur Tatum Jr. , universally known as Art Tatum, was an American jazz pianist and virtuoso. He was nearly blind.Tatum is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time...
and
Buddy DeFrancoBoniface Ferdinand Leonard "Buddy" DeFranco is a jazz clarinet player.DeFranco began his professional career just as swing music and big bands — many of which were led by clarinetists like Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman and Woody Herman — were fading in popularity...
among others.. In 1955 he was in California working on
The Benny Goodman StoryThe Benny Goodman Story is a biopic film starring Steve Allen and Donna Reed, directed by Valentine Davies and released by Universal Studios.-References:...
he was able to record sessions with
Stan GetzStanley Gayetzky or Stanley Gayetsky , usually known by his stage name Stan Getz, was an American jazz saxophone player...
and
Art TatumArthur Tatum Jr. , universally known as Art Tatum, was an American jazz pianist and virtuoso. He was nearly blind.Tatum is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time...
for
Norman GranzNorman Granz was an American jazz music impresario and producer.Granz was a fundamental figure in American jazz, especially from about 1947 to 1960...
as well as with his own big band.
Hampton performed with Louis Armstrong and
ItalianItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
singer
Lara Saint PaulSilvana Savorelli , professionally known as Lara Saint Paul, is an Italian singer, entertainer, impresario and record producer.-Sanremo Music Festival:...
at the 1968 Sanremo Music Festival in
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
. The performance created a sensation with Italian audiences, as it broke into a real jazz session. That same year, Hampton received a Papal Medal from
Pope Paul VIPope Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 1963 to 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
.
Later career
During the 1960s, the public success of Hampton's groups was in decline; he was still performing what had succeeded for him during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. He did not fare much better in the 1970s, though he recorded actively on the Who's Who Record label.
Beginning in February 1984, Hampton and his band played at the
University of IdahoThe University of Idaho is the state of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state. UI is the state's land-grant and primary research university...
's annual jazz festival, which was renamed the
Lionel Hampton Jazz FestivalThe Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival is an annual jazz festival that takes place on the campus of the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho in the month of February...
the following year. In 1987 the UI's school of music was renamed for Hampton, the first university music school named for a jazz musician.
Hampton remained active until a stroke in Paris in 1991 led to a collapse on stage. That incident, combined with years of chronic
arthritisArthritis is a group of conditions involving damage to the joints of the body....
, forced him to cut back drastically on performances. However, he did play at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in 2001 shortly before his death.
Personal life
During the 1950s he had a strong interest in
JudaismJudaism is a set of beliefs and practices originating in the Hebrew Bible , as later further explored and explained in the Talmud and other texts...
and raised money for
IsraelIsrael officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
. In 1953 he composed a King David suite and performed it in Israel with the
Boston Pops OrchestraThe Boston Pops Orchestra was founded in 1885 as a subsection of the Boston Symphony Orchestra , founded four years earlier. Careful examination of the rosters of “pops" or “Festival" orchestras, which are associated with a co-resident symphony orchestra in the same community, shows that the...
. Later in life Hampton became a Christian Scientist. Hampton's wife was his manager throughout much of his career. Many musicians recall that Lionel ran the music and Gladys ran the business. Hampton was a Thirty-three degree
Prince HallPrince Hall Freemasonry derives from historical events which led to a tradition of separate, predominantly African-American, Freemasonic fraternal organization in North America. It is considered regular by the United Grand Lodge of England.-History:...
freemason in New York, also. In January 1997, his apartment caught fire and destroyed his awards and belongings; Hampton escaped uninjured.
Lionel Hampton died from
congestive heart failureHeart failure is a condition in which a problem with the structure or function of the heart impairs its ability to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the body's needs...
on August 31 2002 at
Mount Sinai HospitalMount Sinai Hospital, founded in 1852, is one of the oldest and largest teaching hospitals in the United States. In 2009, Mount Sinai Hospital was ranked as one of the best hospitals in the U.S. by U.S...
in
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
, and is interred in the
Woodlawn CemeteryLocated in The Bronx, Woodlawn Cemetery is one of the largest cemeteries in New York City. It opened as a rural cemetery in 1863, out in "the country", in what was then southern Westchester County, which was annexed to New York City in 1874...
, Bronx, New York. His funeral was held on September 7, 2002 and featured a performance by
Wynton MarsalisWynton Learson Marsalis is an American trumpeter and composer. He is among the most prominent jazz musicians of the modern era and is also a well-known instrumentalist in classical music. He is also the Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center...
and David Ostwald's Gully Low Jazz Band at
Riverside ChurchThe Riverside Church in the City of New York is an interdenominational church in New York City, famous not only for its elaborate Gothic architecture—which includes the world's largest carillon—but also as a center for the promotion of progressive causes...
in
ManhattanManhattan is one of the five boroughs of New York City, located primarily on Manhattan Island at the mouth of the Hudson River.New York County, which has the same boundaries as the Borough of Manhattan , is the most densely populated county in the United States, with a 2008 population of 1,634,795...
; the procession began at
The Cotton ClubThe Cotton Club may refer to:* Cotton Club , a famous nightclub in New York City.* Cotton Club , a now-defunct club in Portland, Oregon.* The Cotton Club , a film centered on the New York club....
in
HarlemHarlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, long known as a major African-American residential, cultural, and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands.Harlem has been defined by a series...
.
Charity
Hampton was deeply involved in the construction of various
public housingPublic housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. Social housing is an umbrella term referring to rental housing which may be owned and managed by the state, by not-for-profit organizations, or by a combination of...
projects, and founded the Lionel Hampton Development Corporation. Construction began with the Lionel Hampton Houses in Harlem, New York in the 1960s, with the help of then
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the Grand Old Party or the GOP, despite being the younger of the two major parties. In the U.S...
governor
Nelson RockefellerNelson Aldrich Rockefeller was the 41st Vice President of the United States, the 49th governor of New York, a philanthropist, and a businessman....
. Hampton's wife—Gladys Hampton—also was very involved in construction of a housing project in her name—the Gladys Hampton Houses. Gladys died in 1971. In the 1980s, Hampton built another Housing project called Hampton Hills in
Newark, New JerseyBrick City redirects here. For the township in Ocean County, see Brick Township, New Jersey.Newark is the largest city in New Jersey, and the county seat of Essex County. Newark has a population of 281,402, making it the largest municipality in New Jersey and the 65th largest city in the U.S...
. Hampton was a staunch Republican and served as a delegate to several
Republican National ConventionThe Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
s during his lifetime. He served as Vice-Chairman of the New York Republican County Committee for some years and also was a member of the New York City Human Rights Commission.
Hampton donated close to $279,000 to
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the Grand Old Party or the GOP, despite being the younger of the two major parties. In the U.S...
campaigns and committees during his lifetime.
Awards
- 2001 - Harlem Jazz and Music Festival's Legend Award
- 1996 - National Medal of Arts
The National Medal of Arts is an award and title created by the Congress of the United States in 1984, for the purpose of honoring artists and patrons of the arts. It is the highest honor conferred to an individual artist on behalf of the people...
presented by President Bill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton was the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He was the third-youngest president; only Theodore Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy were younger when entering office...
- 1995 - Honorary Commissioner of Civil Rights by George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York serving three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006...
- 1995 - Honorary Doctorate from the New England Conservatory of Music
The New England Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts, is the oldest independent conservatory in the United States.The conservatory is home each year to 750 students pursuing undergraduate and graduate studies along with 1400 more in its Preparatory School as well as the School of Continuing...
- 1993 - Honorary Doctorate from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore
University of Maryland Eastern Shore, located on 776 acres in Princess Anne, Maryland, is part of the University System of Maryland...
- 1992 - Inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame
The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame was founded in 1978, and opened a museum on September 18, 1993, with a mission "to foster, encourage, educate, and cultivate a general appreciation of the medium of jazz music as a legitimate, original and distinctive art form indigenous to America...
- 1992 - "Contributions To The Cultural Life of the Nation" award from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center located on the Potomac River, adjacent to the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C...
- 1988 - The National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Fellowship
- 1988 - The National Association of Jazz Educators Hall of Fame Award
- 1987 - Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from the University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the state of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state. UI is the state's land-grant and primary research university...
- UI's School of Music renamed "Lionel Hampton School of Music."
- 1987 - The Roy Wilkins
Roy Wilkins was a prominent civil rights activist in the United States from the 1930s to the 1970s. Wilkins most notable role was in his leadership of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People .During his latter life Wilkins was frequently referred to as the 'senior statesman'...
Memorial Award from the NAACP
- 1986 - The "One of a Kind" Award from Broadcast Music, Inc.
- 1984 - Jazz Hall of Fame
The term Jazz hall of fame can refer to the following institutions:* Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame * The Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame , a defunct annual recognition by a non-profit organization based in North San Diego County, California...
Award from the Institute of Jazz StudiesThe Institute of Jazz Studies is the largest and most comprehensive library and archive of jazz and jazz-related materials in the world, located at the Newark campus of Rutgers University.-History:...
- 1984 - Honorary Doctorate of Music from USC
The University of Southern California is a private, nonsectarian, research university located in the University Park neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, USA...
- 1983 - The International Film and Television Festival of New York City Award
- 1983 - Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the world, with a total enrollment of 438,361 students, plus 1.1 million...
- 1982 - Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a sidewalk along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA, that serves as an entertainment museum...
Star
- 1981 - Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Glassboro State College
- 1979 - Honorary Doctorate of Music from Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States....
- 1978 - Bronze Medallion
The Bronze Medallion is the highest award conferred upon civilians by New York City.The medal is presented by the Mayor to those individuals who have demonstrated, "exceptional citizenship and outstanding achievement"...
from New York City
- 1976 - Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Daniel Hale Williams
Daniel Hale Williams was an American surgeon. He was the first African-American cardiologist, and is sometimes attributed with performing the first successful surgery on the heart...
University
- 1975 - Honorary Doctorate of Music from Xavier University of Louisiana
Xavier University of Louisiana is a private, coeducational, liberal arts historically Black Roman Catholic university located in New Orleans, Louisiana. Xavier has the distinction of being the only historically black university in the United States that is Roman Catholic...
- 1974 - Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. Seaver College, the School of Law, the Graduate School of Education and Psychology, the Graziadio School of Business and Management, and the School of Public Policy are located on the...
- 1968 - Papal Medal from Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Roman Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 1963 to 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
- 1966 - George Frederick Handel Medal
- 1957 - American Goodwill Ambassador by President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was a five-star general in the United States Army and the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. During the Second World War, he served as Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe, with responsibility for planning and supervising the...
- 1954 - Israel's Statehood Award
Discography
| Year |
Album |
Notes |
Label |
| 1937–39 |
Benny Goodman -The Complete RCA Victor Small Group Recordings |
- |
RCA RecordsRCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1983 and a partner from 1983 to 1986.-The RCA family of labels:RCA is the name of three different co-owned record...
|
| 1937–39 |
Hot Mallets, Vol. 1 |
- |
Bluebird RecordsBluebird Records is a sub-label of RCA Victor Records originally created in 1932 to counter ARC Records in the "3 records for a dollar" market...
|
| 1937–39 |
The Jumpin Five, Vol. 2 |
- |
Bluebird Records |
| 1938 |
The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert |
appearance as sideman for Benny Goodman |
Columbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label founded in 1888.Columbia is the oldest surviving brand name in pre-recorded sound, being the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. Columbia Records went on to release records by an array of notable singers,...
|
| 1939–40 |
Tempo and Swing |
appearances by Ben Webster Benjamin Francis Webster , aka "The Brute" or "Frog," was an influential American jazz tenor saxophonist. Webster, born in Kansas City, Missouri, was considered one of the three most important "swing tenors" along with Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young...
, Coleman HawkinsColeman Randolph Hawkins was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Hawkins was the first important jazz musician to use the instrument. As Joachim E. Berendt explained, "there were some tenor players before him, but the instrument was not an acknowledged jazz horn"...
and Nat "King" Cole |
Bluebird Records |
| 1944 |
Star Dust |
the famous "Just Jazz" jam session |
Verve Records |
| 1947 |
with the Just Jazz All Stars |
Charlie Shavers Charlie James Shavers was a swing era jazz trumpet player who played at one time or another with Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Eldridge, Johnny Dodds, Jimmy Noone, Sidney Bechet, Midge Williams and Billie Holiday...
, Willie SmithWilliam McLeish Smith was one of the major alto saxophone players of the swing era. He also played clarinet and sang. He is generally referred to as "Willie Smith"....
, Corky Corcoran, Milt BucknerMilt Buckner was an American jazz pianist and organist, originally from St. Louis, Missouri. He was orphaned as a child, but an uncle in Detroit taught him to play...
, Slam StewartLeroy Eliot 'Slam' Stewart was an African American jazz bass player whose trademark style was his ability to bow the bass and simultaneously hum or sing an octave higher. He was originally a violin player before switching to bass at the age of 20.-Biography:Stewart was born in Englewood, New...
, Jackie Mills, Lee YoungLee Young was an American jazz drummer and singer.Young was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. His older brother was famed saxophonist Lester Young....
|
Vogue 78s/London Records 1972 transfer |
| 1953–54 |
The Lionel Hampton Quintet |
with DeFranco and Peterson. Includes a 17 minute jam on "Flyin Home". There is also a 5CD box of the complete Verve recordings of the quartets and quintets with Peterson, as well as a number of other compilations and selections. |
Verve Records |
| 1955 |
Hamp and Getz |
|
Verve Records |
| 1958 |
The Golden Vibes |
with a reed quintet |
Columbia Records |
| 1958 |
Lionel |
|
Audio Fidelity |
| 1960 |
Silver Vibes |
with a Trombones And Rhythms (Trombone Quartet) |
Columbia Records |
| 1963 |
Benny Goodman Together Again! |
reunion with Lionel Hampton, Teddy Wilson & Gene Krupa |
Columbia Records |
| 1963 |
You Better Know It!!! |
with Clark TerryClark Terry , is an American swing and bop trumpeter, a pioneer of the fluegelhorn in jazz, educator, and NEA Jazz Masters inductee....
, Ben WebsterBenjamin Francis Webster , aka "The Brute" or "Frog," was an influential American jazz tenor saxophonist. Webster, born in Kansas City, Missouri, was considered one of the three most important "swing tenors" along with Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young...
, Hank JonesHenry "Hank" Jones is an American jazz pianist, bandleader, and composer. Critics and musicians have described Jones as eloquent, lyrical, and impeccable....
, Milt HintonMilt Hinton born Milton John Hilton , "the dean of jazz bass players," was an American jazz double bassist and photographer. He was nicknamed "The Judge".-Life:...
, Osie JohnsonJames "Osie" Johnson was a jazz drummer.He first worked with Sabby Lewis and then, after service in the United States Navy freelanced for a time in Chicago...
|
Impulse! Records Impulse! Records was an American jazz record label, originally established in 1960 by producer Creed Taylor as a subsidiary of ABC-Paramount Records, based in New York City. John Coltrane was among Impulse!'s first signings and thanks to the consistent sales and critical kudos generated by his...
|
| 1972 |
Please Sunrise |
|
Brunswick Record Corporation |
| 1988 |
Mostly Blues |
|
Jazz Heritage Society |
| 1991 |
Live at the Blue Note |
jamming with old friends including trombonist Al Grey |
Columbia Records |
Compilations
| Year |
Album |
Notes |
Label |
| 39–56 |
Greatest Hits |
Selections from above records |
RCA Victor |
| 42–63 |
Hamp! |
- |
GRPGRP Records is an American jazz record company that was founded in New York by Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen in 1982.-History:Previously, the duo had formed Grusin/Rosen Productions as a freelance production team in 1976, making records for labels such as RCA, Blue Note and CTI with artists like Jon...
/DeccaDecca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; later the link with the British company was broken for several decades...
|
| 37–63 |
The Lionel Hampton Story |
Selections from all records and eras above |
Proper |
Filmography
| Year |
Movie |
Role |
Director |
Genre |
| 1933 |
Girl Without A Room |
himself |
Ralph Murphy |
Comedy Comedy as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse generally intended to amuse, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in Ancient Greece...
|
| 1936 |
Pennies From Heaven |
himself |
Norman Z. McLeod Norman Zenos McLeod was an American film director, cartoonist and writer...
|
Comedy/MusicalThe musical film is a film genre in which several songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative. The songs are usually used to advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but some musical films simply plop the songs in as unrelated "specialties" - as with Carmen Miranda's...
|
| 1937 |
Hollywood Hotel |
himself |
Busby BerkeleyBusby Berkeley , born William Berkeley Enos in Los Angeles, California, was a highly influential Hollywood movie director and musical choreographer....
|
Musical/RomanceWhile most films have some aspect of romance between characters a romance film can be loosely defined as any film in which the central plot revolves around the romantic involvement of the story's protagonists. Common themes include the characters making decisions based on a newly-found romantic...
|
| 1938 |
For Auld Lang Syne |
himself |
? |
DocumentaryDocumentary film is a broad category of visual expressions that is based on the attempt, in one fashion or another, to "document" reality. Although "documentary film" originally referred to movies shot on film stock, it has subsequently expanded to include video and digital productions that can...
|
| 1948 |
A Song Is BornA Song Is Born is a Technicolor musical film remake, starring Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo, of 1941 movie Ball of Fire with Gary Cooper...
|
himself |
Howard HawksHoward Winchester Hawks was an influential American film director, producer and screenwriter of the classic Hollywood era...
|
Comedy/Musical |
| 1949 |
Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra |
himself |
Will Cowan |
Music |
| 1955 |
Musik, Musik and nur Musik |
himself |
Ernst Matray |
Comedy |
| 1955 |
The Benny Goodman Story |
himself |
Valentine Davies Valentine Davies was an American film and television writer, producer, and director. His credits included Miracle on 34th Street , Chicken Every Sunday , The Bridges at Toko-Ri , and The Benny Goodman Story...
|
DramaDrama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a collective...
|
| 1957 |
Mister Rock and Roll |
himself |
Charles S. Dubin |
Drama/Musical |
| 1980 |
But Then She's Betty Carter |
himself |
Michelle Parkerson |
Documentary |
External links