George Barnes was born in Chicago’s suburb of Chicago on July 17, 1921. His father, a guitarist, taught him how to play guitar at the age of 9. He was from a musical family. George started playing the piano at the age of 6. However, when his family lost their home and their piano in the Depression, all that was left was a Sears Roebuck Silvertone Guitar with an action measuring about one-inch high. George put in a lot of effort to perfect this instrument, and he joined the union at the age 12 By this time, he had heard Joe Venuti’s records and knew that he wanted a career as a jazz musician. George wanted to be a solo guitarist, even though there weren’t many at the time. Django Reinhardt’s records were familiar to George, but he never connected with him as Django sounded unfamiliar to him. George was influenced mainly by the Chicago reedmen and horn players he played with as a child. Jimmy Noone, a Chicago clarinetist who George was playing with when he was 16, was his single greatest influence. Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong and others were also influential. George was also taught the blues by Lonnie Johnson. His brother, who built him a pickup and an amplifier, claimed that he had been playing electric guitar since 1931. Although it isn’t clear who the original electric guitar player was, George must have been one of them. He founded the George Barnes Quartet at 14 and made his first recordings under his own name two years later, “I’m Foreverblowing Bubbles” for Okeh Records. He joined NBC Chicago’s staff at age 17 and was the youngest conductor/arranger that they had ever had. He was also recording with black blues stars like Big Bill Broonzy, often the only white player at the event. Hughes Panassie used to call George “the great Negro-blues guitarist from Chicago”. George was drafted in 1942. George moved to New York in 1951. He was immediately offered a Decca contract to arrange, conduct and back vocals. (He said that the only thing he didn’t do was sweep floors). He was first in New York when he played opposite Tal Farlow at The Embers. George also met Carl Kress back in 1951. This was the beginning of a friendship that would lead to the creation of the critically acclaimed George Barnes/Carl Kress duo later in life. They made some of the most memorable guitar duo recordings and toured the globe together. George requested that the Guild Guitar Company create a guitar unique to him. This was partly due to his frustration with electric guitars’ tendency to feedback. (See George’s guitars) George’s next partner would be Bucky Pizzarelli after Kress died in 1965. They produced fine albums like “Guitars Pure And Honest”, before Bucky started his own career. Ruby Braff, a cornet player, was George’s next and most well-known association. The George Barnes/Ruby Braff Quartet was formed by Wayne Wright, rhythm guitarist, and Michael Moore. They toured the globe and thrilled audiences all over again. George used a unique method of playing the guitar. He held it between his thumbs and middle fingers. When creating vibrato, he moved it across the fingerboard rather than in line with the fingerboard like most guitarists. His music was instantly recognisable, and it was a delight to listen to. He had enough material recorded for Concord Records to issue two albums by his Quartet, which also included Duncan James on the second guitar. These albums are a must-have for all guitarists and a fitting tribute of one of the greatest guitarists of all time. from http://www.gould68.freeserve.co.uk
