Skeeter Best

Clifton "Skeeter" Best (November 20, 1914 – May 27, 1985) was an American jazz guitarist.

Best played in Philadelphia from 1935 to 1940, recording with Slim Marshall and Erskine Hawkins. In 1940, he joined Earl Hines's orchestra, playing with him until he joined the U.S. Navy in 1942. After the war, he played with Bill Johnson from 1945 to 1949. He toured East Asia with Oscar Pettiford in 1951 and 1952, and formed his own trio in the 1950s. He did a critically acclaimed session with Ray Charles and Milt Jackson in 1957 called Soul Brothers.

In 1958, he recorded with Mercer Ellington and taught in New York City. He also recorded with Harry Belafonte, Etta Jones, Nellie Lutcher, Milt Hinton, Osie Johnson, Paul Quinichette, Jimmy Rushing, Sonny Stitt, Charles Thompson, and Lucky Thompson.

Birth and Death Data: Born November 20, 1914 (North Carolina), Died May 27, 1985 (The Bronx)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1942 - 1958

Roles Represented in DAHR: guitar, vocalist, composer

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

Recordings (Results 51-54 of 54 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 105305 7/22/1958 The gal from Joe's Mercer Ellington Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 105306 7/22/1958 Afternoon moon Mercer Ellington Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 105307 7/22/1958 Broadway babe Mercer Ellington Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
Decca 105308 7/22/1958 Yearning for love Mercer Ellington Orchestra instrumentalist, guitar  
(Results 51-54 of 54 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Best, Skeeter," accessed November 9, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/304206.

Best, Skeeter. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 9, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/304206.

"Best, Skeeter." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/304206

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