Lionel Hampton

Lionel Hampton

Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, and bandleader. Hampton worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, and Quincy Jones. In 1992, he was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, and he was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1996. Lionel Hampton was born in 1908 in Louisville, Kentucky, and was raised by his mother. Shortly after he was born, he and his mother moved to her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. He spent his early childhood in Kenosha, Wisconsin, before he and his family moved to Chicago, Illinois, in 1916. As a youth, Hampton was a member of the Bud Billiken Club, an alternative to the Boy Scouts of America, which was off-limits because of racial segregation. During the 1920s, while still a teenager, Hampton took xylophone lessons from Jimmy Bertrand and began to play drums. Hampton was raised Catholic, and started out playing fife and drum at the Holy Rosary Academy near Chicago. Lionel Hampton began his career playing drums for the Chicago Defender Newsboys' Band (led by Major N. Clark Smith) while still a teenager in Chicago. While he lived in Chicago, Hampton saw Louis Armstrong at the Vendome, remembering that the entire audience went crazy after his first solo. He moved to California 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 Hite band at Sebastian's Cotton Club. One of his trademarks as a drummer was his ability to do stunts with multiple pairs of sticks such as twirling and juggling without missing a beat. During this period, he began practicing on the vibraphone. In 1930 Louis Armstrong came to California and hired the Les Hite band for performances and recordings. Armstrong was impressed with Hampton's playing after Hampton reproduced Armstrong's solo on the vibraphone and asked him to play behind him like that during vocal choruses. So began his career as a vibraphonist, popularizing the use of the instrument in the process. Invented ten years earlier, the vibraphone is essentially a xylophone with metal bars, a sustain pedal, and resonators equipped with electric-powered fans that add tremolo. While working with the Les Hite band, Hampton also occasionally did some performing with Nat Shilkret and his orchestra. During the early 1930s, he studied music at the University of Southern California. In 1934 he led his own orchestra, and then appeared in the Bing Crosby film Pennies From Heaven (1936) alongside Louis Armstrong (wearing a mask in a scene while playing drums). Also in November 1936, the Benny Goodman Orchestra came to Los Angeles to play the Palomar Ballroom. When John Hammond brought Goodman to see Hampton perform, Goodman invited him to join his trio, which soon became the Benny Goodman Quartet with pianist Teddy Wilson and drummer Gene Krupa completing the lineup. The Trio and Quartet were among the first racially integrated jazz groups to perform before audiences, and were a leading small group of the day. ... Source: Article "Lionel Hampton" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

  • Title : Lionel Hampton
  • Popularity : 1.12
  • Known For : Acting
  • Birthday : 1908-04-20
  • Place of Birth : Louisville, Kentucky, USA
  • Homepage :
  • Also Known As :
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Lionel Hampton Movies

  • 1948
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    A Song Is Born

    A Song Is Born

    6.439 1948 HD

    The story of seven scholars in search of an expert to teach them about swing music. They seem to have found the perfect candidate in winsome...

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  • 1957
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    Mister Rock and Roll

    Mister Rock and Roll

    5 1957 HD

    Alan Freed is "Mr. Rock and Roll" as he sets out to prove that rock 'n' roll doesn't cause juvenile delinquency. Terrific original rock 'n' roll...

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  • 2008
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    Jazz Icons: Lionel Hampton Live in '58

    Jazz Icons: Lionel Hampton Live in '58

    9 2008 HD

    Lionel Hampton takes the stage in Belgium in this concert film from 1958 that showcases the multitalented jazz musician's dazzling skills on drums,...

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  • 1979
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    No Maps on My Taps

    No Maps on My Taps

    7 1979 HD

    The remarkable spirit of tap dancers and their history provides a joyous backdrop for intimate portraits of hoofers Sandman Sims, Chuck Green, and...

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  • 1955
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    Rhythm and Blues Revue

    Rhythm and Blues Revue

    6 1955 HD

    Rhythm and Blues Revue is a plotless variety show, one of several compiled for theatrical exhibition from the made-for-television short films...

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  • 1957
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    America By Night

    America By Night

    2 1957 HD

    Italian mondo featuring scenes of night life in North and South America, including Las Vegas, New Orleans, San Francisco, Buenos Aires and Rio de...

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  • 1954
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    The Glenn Miller Story

    The Glenn Miller Story

    6.9 1954 HD

    A vibrant tribute to one of America's legendary bandleaders, charting Glenn Miller's rise from obscurity and poverty to fame and wealth in the early...

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  • 1956
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    The Benny Goodman Story

    The Benny Goodman Story

    6.321 1956 HD

    Young Benny Goodman is taught clarinet by a music professor. He is advised to play whichever kind of music he likes best, but to make a living, Benny...

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  • 1949
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    Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra

    Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra

    1 1949 HD

    Production number 5302 in Universal-International "Name Band Musical" series of shorts featuring Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra, with a...

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  • 1980
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    ...But Then, She's Betty Carter

    ...But Then, She's Betty Carter

    6 1980 HD

    This lively film is an unforgettable portrait of legendary vocalist Betty Carter, one of the greatest living exponents of jazz. Uncompromised by...

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  • 1983
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    Bei Bio

    Bei Bio

    1 1983 HD

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  • 1962
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    The Merv Griffin Show

    The Merv Griffin Show

    5.6 1962 HD

    The Merv Griffin Show is an American television talk show, starring Merv Griffin. The series ran from October 1, 1962 to March 29, 1963 on NBC,...

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  • 1975
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    Austin City Limits

    Austin City Limits

    6.2 1975 HD

    Now the longest-running music series in American television history, ACL showcases popular music legends and innovators from every genre.

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  • 1956
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    The Steve Allen Show

    The Steve Allen Show

    5 1956 HD

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  • 1969
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    The Barbara McNair Show

    The Barbara McNair Show

    1 1969 HD

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  • 1978
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    The Kennedy Center Honors

    The Kennedy Center Honors

    7.3 1978 HD

    The Kennedy Center Honors is an annual honor given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture.

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  • 1948
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    The Ed Sullivan Show

    The Ed Sullivan Show

    6.632 1948 HD

    The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by...

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  • 1948
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    The Ed Sullivan Show

    The Ed Sullivan Show

    6.632 1948 HD

    The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by...

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  • 1972
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    Musikladen

    Musikladen

    1 1972 HD

    Der Musikladen was a West German music television programme that ran from December 13, 1972 to November 29, 1984. The show continued the 1960s...

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  • 1959
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    The Big Party

    The Big Party

    1 1959 HD

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  • 1972
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    Le Grand Échiquier

    Le Grand Échiquier

    8 1972 HD

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