A. G. Godley
A. G. Godley[note 1] (17 October 1903–February 1973) was an American jazz drummer.[1] His contemporaries considered Godley one of the finest big-band drummers in the Southwest.[1]
| A. G. Godley | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | A. G. Godley[note 1] |
| Born | October 17, 1903 Ft. Smith, AR |
| Died | February 1973 (aged 69) Seattle, WA |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Drums |
In 1924, Godley joined the Alphonse Trent Orchestra,[1] the leading band in Dallas at that time, with Terrence Holder on trumpet, and Snub Mosley on trombone. Budd Johnson, referring to Trent's band, later said: "They were gods back in the twenties, just like Basie was later, only many years ahead of him. ... They made $150 a week a man. Imagine! They worked nothing but the biggest and finest hotels in the South".[2] He stayed with Trent's band until 1933, although he left briefly in 1929 to play with Walter Page in 1929 and again, in 1931, to play with Fate Marable.[1] It was while he was with Trent’s band that he was given the nickname Ananias Garibaldi.[1]
He went on to join Snub Mosley’s band (1939–41), and later made a number of recordings in small groups led by Hot Lips Page, Joe Turner, and Pete Johnson.[1]
Notes and references
Notes
- His date of birth is taken from his application for social security, on which he writes “I was never given another name except initials. I have no other name. The initials are my full first name.”[1]
References
- Rye, Howard "Godley, A.G.". Grove Music Online. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
- Oliphant, Dave (1996). Texan Jazz, p. 92. University of Texas Press. Google Books. Retrieved 11 December 2022.