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George Hamilton Green

George Hamilton Green Jr. (May 23, 1893 – September 11, 1970) was a xylophonist, composer, and cartoonist born in Omaha, Nebraska. He was born into a musical family, both his grandfather and his father being composers, arrangers, and conductors for bands in Omaha. His father was the conductor of an army band and growing up in his house, he had access to many musical instruments. From age four G.H. Green showed a prodigious talent as a pianist; he then took up the xylophone and by the age of eleven was being promoted as the “world’s greatest xylophonist” and was playing for crowds of 7,000-10,000. In 1915, when Green was 22 years old, a review in the United States Musician stated: "He has begun where every other xylophone player left off. His touch, his attack, his technique, and his powers of interpretation in the rendition of his solos being far different than other performers. To say his work is marvelous and wonderful would not fully express it." George Hamilton Green wrote several pieces for solo ragtime xylophone with accompaniment, as well as a xylophone method book which continues to be used by percussion pedagogues across the country. Some of his compositions for xylophone include: "Ragtime Robin", "Cross Corners", "Charleston Capers", "Rainbow Ripples", "Log Cabin Blues", "The Whistler", "Chromatic Fox Trot", and "Jovial Jasper" for piano and xylophone because of his experience on both instruments.

He was a popular recording artist starting in 1916 with the Edison Company and was employed, along with his two brothers, Joe and Lew Green, as the original sound music crew for Walt Disney's first three cartoons.

According to Nathaniel Shilkret, Green was not only a "wonderful xylophone artist," but an inventor. Shilkret said that Green designed the vibraharp at Shilkret's request.

Green was an important ragtime composer and authored many pieces that remain standards for the instrument even today. He retired from performing in the late 1940s to pursue a successful career in cartooning. Green would die in 1970, just a few years before a revival in the popularity of his ragtime xylophone music, and before his induction into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame in 1983 The rebirth of his music was led by members of the NEXUS Percussion Ensemble in the late 1970s. Through their efforts, G.H. Green's xylophone music has been preserved and remains a relevant part of contemporary percussion pedagogy and performance.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 23, 1893 (Omaha), Died 1970

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1916 - 1934

Roles Represented in DAHR: xylophone, composer, vibraphone, marimba, arranger, celeste, leader, percussion, bells, lyricist, songwriter, drums

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

Recordings (Results 101-125 of 355 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-57540 10-in. 11/14/1929 Daddy's lullaby Hilo Hawaiian Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo (Hawaiian) instrumentalist, marimba  
Victor BVE-62740 10-in. 6/23/1930 Somewhere in old Wyoming Green Brothers Marimba Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, marimba  
Victor BVE-62741 10-in. 6/23/1930 Lo-lo Green Brothers Marimba Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, marimba  
Victor CS-75792 12-in. 4/12/1933 Goin' home Green Brothers Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, percussion  
Victor CS-75793 12-in. 4/12/1933 Elegie Green Brothers Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, percussion  
Victor CS-75794 12-in. 4/12/1933 The swan Green Brothers Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, percussion  
Victor CS-75795 12-in. 4/12/1933 Beautiful Isle of Somewhere Green Brothers Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, percussion  
Victor LBS-78170 10-in. (33-1/3 rpm) 10/12/1933 In the sweet bye and bye Green Brothers Instrumental trio instrumentalist, celeste  
Victor LBS-78171 10-in. (33-1/3 rpm) 10/12/1933 The bells of St. Mary's Green Brothers Instrumental trio instrumentalist, celeste  
Victor LBS-78172 10-in. (33-1/3 rpm) 10/12/1933 Face to face Green Brothers Instrumental trio instrumentalist, celeste  
Victor LBS-78173 10-in. (33-1/3 rpm) 10/12/1933 One sweetly solemn thought Green Brothers Celeste, chimes, and vibraphone ("Deagan vibra-harp") arranger, instrumentalist, celeste  
Victor LBS-78243 10-in. (33-1/3 rpm) 10/19/1933 No night there Green Brothers Instrumental trio instrumentalist, celeste, arranger  
Victor LBS-78244 10-in. (33-1/3 rpm) 10/19/1933 Just as I am Green Brothers Celeste, chimes, and vibraphone trio instrumentalist, celeste  
Victor LBS-78245 10-in. (33-1/3 rpm) 10/19/1933 God be with you till we meet again Green Brothers Instrumental trio instrumentalist, celeste  
Victor LBS-81045 10-in. (33-1/3 rpm) 1/11/1934 No night there Green Brothers Vibraphone ("Deagan vibra-harp") and chimes duet arranger, instrumentalist, vibraphone  
Victor LBS-81046 10-in. (33-1/3 rpm) 1/11/1934 In the sweet bye and bye Green Brothers Vibraphone ("Deagan vibra-harp") and chimes duet instrumentalist, vibraphone, arranger  
Victor LBS-81099 10-in. (33-1/3 rpm) 1/24/1934 The bells of Saint Mary's Green Brothers Vibraphone ("Deagan vibra-harp") and chimes duet arranger, instrumentalist, vibraphone  
Victor LBS-81124 10-in. (33-1/3 rpm) 12/29/1933 God be with you till we meet again Green Brothers Vibraphone ("Deagan vibra-harp") and chimes duet arranger, instrumentalist, vibraphone  
Victor LBS-81125 10-in. (33-1/3 rpm) 12/29/1933 Face to face Green Brothers Vibraphone ("Deagan vibra-harp") and chimes duet arranger, instrumentalist, vibraphone  
Victor CS-81308 12-in. 1/25/1934 The swan Green Brothers Vibraphone ("Deagan vibra-harp") and chimes duet instrumentalist, vibraphone, arranger  
Victor CS-81309 12-in. 1/25/1934 Goin' home Green Brothers Vibraphone ("Deagan vibra-harp") and chimes duet arranger, instrumentalist, vibraphone  
Victor CS-81310 12-in. 1/25/1934 Elegie Green Brothers Vibraphone ("Deagan vibra-harp") and chimes duet arranger, instrumentalist, vibraphone  
Victor CS-81311 12-in. 1/25/1934 Beautiful Isle of Somewhere Green Brothers Vibraphone ("Deagan vibra-harp") and chimes duet arranger, instrumentalist, vibraphone  
Victor LBS-81312 10-in. (33-1/3 rpm) 1/25/1934 Abide with me Green Brothers Vibraphone ("Deagan vibra-harp") and chimes duet instrumentalist, vibraphone, arranger  
Victor LBS-81313 10-in. (33-1/3 rpm) 1/25/1934 Nearer, my God, to Thee Green Brothers Vibraphone ("Deagan vibra-harp") and chimes duet arranger, instrumentalist, vibraphone  
(Results 101-125 of 355 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Green, George Hamilton," accessed November 22, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104861.

Green, George Hamilton. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104861.

"Green, George Hamilton." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 22 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/104861

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