Gene Phillips (guitarist)

Eugene Floyd Phillips (May 25, 1915 – January 10, 1990)[1] was an American jump blues guitarist and singer.[2]

Career

He was born in St. Louis, Missouri,[1] and took up the ukulele and later the guitar as a child. He also sang, influenced by, and a fan of, Big Joe Turner, Jimmy Rushing, Louis Jordan, and Wynonie Harris.[2] He joined the St Louis bands of Dewey Jackson and Jimmy Powell and was later taught lap steel guitar by Floyd Smith.[2] He later went on to join Lorenzo Flennoy's Trio. A pioneer of the lap steel guitar, he recorded with the Ink Spots and the Mills Brothers, among others.[1] In late 1945 he recorded with Lucky Thompson in a band also featuring Marshal Royal and Charles Mingus.[3]

His Rhythm Aces, the band he used on his Modern recordings for the Bihari Brothers, included Jake Porter, trumpet; Marshal Royal, alto sax; Maxwell Davis, tenor sax; Jack McVea, tenor sax; Bumps Meyers, tenor sax; Lloyd Glenn, piano; Willard McDaniel, piano; Al "Cake" Wichard, drums; William "Bill" Street, drums; and Art Edwards, bass.[4] His repertoire included "I Could Make You Love Me", "Big Fat Mama", "Big Legs", "Fatso", "Punkin' Head Woman", "Stinkin' Drunk", and "Women, Women, Women".[2]

Phillips died in Lakewood, California, in 1990.[1]

Selected discography

  • Gene Phillips and the Rockers (Crown CLP 5375, 1963)
  • Gene Phillips and His Rhythm Aces (Ace CHD 169, 1986)
  • I Like 'Em Fat (Ace CHD 245, 1988)
  • Swinging the Blues (Ace CDCHD 746, 2000)
  • Drinkin' and Stinkin' (Ace CDCHM 894, 2003)

References

  1. ^ a b c d Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues - A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 139. ISBN 978-0313344237.
  2. ^ a b c d Ray Topping, Liner notes for Swinging the Blues, Ace Records. Retrieved 9 October 2016
  3. ^ Jazz Discography Project. "Charles Mingus Catalog". Jazzdisco.org. Retrieved 2016-08-20.
  4. ^ Richie Unterberger (2003-07-22). "Drinkin' and Stinkin' - Gene Phillips & His Rhythm Aces, Gene Phillips | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-08-20.