Although Eddie Barefield was a fine musician and arranger, he never achieved much fame. However, he enjoyed a 60-year productive career. Barefield reached musical maturity in the 1930s playing with Bernie Young (1930), Zack Whyte (1933), McKinney’s Cotton Pickers (33), Cab Calloway (1933-1936), Les Hite(37), Fletcher Henderson (1938) and Don Redman (1938). Barefield recorded with many orchestras, including Henderson, Calloway, Moten and Henderson. He provided arrangements for many top big bands during the swing era (including Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman and Calloway), and was also a staff musician at ABC in the 1940s. Barefield spent most of his time in the studios in the 1950s, and occasionally returned to Cab Calloway. Before joining the circus band Ringling Brothers (1971-1982), he also played with Sammy Price (1958), Wilbur deParis (1960), and the Saints and Sinners (1966-1972). Barefield was a freelancer in many different situations over his last 20 years and recorded a fine 1977 album with Famous Door as a leader. Allmusic
