Guitarist (Count Basie Orchestra)
Freddie William Green was born on March 31, 1911 in Charleston, South Carolina. He was exposed to music at a very early age. Green learned to play the banjo before the guitar. One of his father’s friends, Sam Walker, taught him how to read music. Mr. Walker later gave Freddie his first gig, playing with a local community group of which Walker organized, which included William “Cat” Anderson. He moved to New York City as a teenager and was noticed by legendary talent scout John Hammond and introduced him to Count Basie. Throughout his career, Mr. Green played rhythm guitar, accompanying other musicians but rarely performing solos. Mr. Green made two major contributions to Count Basie’s repertoire, Down for Double” and “Corner Pocket”. Mr. Green died of a heart attack in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 1, 1987. He was 75. Sources: www.freediegreen.org and www.wikipedia.org
Freddie Greene
