Brother Bones
Freeman Davis (October 4, 1902 – June 14, 1974[1]) was an American whistling and bone playing recording artist best known by his stage names "Brother Bones" and "Whistling Sam".
Brother Bones | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Freeman Davis |
| Born | October 4, 1902 Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.[1] |
| Died | June 14, 1974 (aged 71) Long Beach, California, United States |
| Genres | popular songs |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, dancer, actor, shoeshiner |
| Instrument(s) | whistling, bone, knives, spoons |
| Years active | 1940s–1950s |
Early life
Freeman Davis was born in Montgomery, Alabama.[1]
Career
Davis is best remembered for his 1949 recording (as Brother Bones and His Shadows) of the 1925 standard "Sweet Georgia Brown".[2] The recording became nationally famous after its adoption as the theme song of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team in 1952. Notably, the bass line for this track uses the Novachord, a very early electronic synthesizer more prominently featured on the B side of the record. Despite the success of this record, Davis himself remained relatively unknown.
Death
Davis died in June 1974, in Long Beach, California, at the age of 71.[1] Davis was buried in Woodlawn Memorial Park, Compton, Los Angeles County, California.
Popular culture
His song, "Black Eyed Susan Brown", was sampled in the De La Soul song, "Pease Porridge", on their 1991 album, De La Soul Is Dead.
"Sweet Georgia Brown" was used in the Vauxhall Meriva television advertisement in the UK.
References
- Thedeadrockstrasclub.com - accessed January 2010
- Gioia, Ted (2012). The Jazz Standards: A Guide to the Repertoire. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 413. ISBN 9780199769155.
External links
- Freeman "Brother Bones" Davis (1902–1974) – Find A Grave Memorial
- Recordings of Brother Bones at the Online Guide to Whistling Records
- Who is Brother Bones? on BoneDryMusic.com