Hall of Composers
Lionel Hampton (1908-2002)
Lionel Hampton was born in Louisville, Ken. His father, Charles, was reported missing and later declared killed in World War I. Lionel and his mother, Gertrude moved to Birmingham, Ala., and later settled in Chicago. While attending St. Monica’s School in Chicago, Hampton got a job selling papers in order to join the Chicago Defender’s Newsboys Band, where he played snare and bass drums. After graduating from high school at the age of 15, Hampton moved to Los Angeles to perform in a band organized by Les Hite.
In 1930, Hampton was called in to a recording session with Louis Armstrong, who encouraged him to take up the vibraphone. Around 1936, Hampton started performing with Benny Goodman, drummer Gene Krupa, and pianist Teddy Wilson, forming the Benny Goodman Quartet, one of the first racially integrated group of jazz musicians. Later, Hampton established his own band, the Lionel Hampton Orchestra.
As a businessman, he established two recording labels, his own publishing company, and founded the Lionel Hampton Development Corporation to build low-income housing in inner cities. Hampton later continued his contributions to music education by working with the University of Idaho in Moscow, Id., to establish the Lionel Hampton School of Music.
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