BROTHER BONES
Sweet Georgia Brown
Born Freeman Davis in Montgomery, Alabama, Brother Bones was a one-time
shoe shine boy, working at stands in the vestibules of local barber shops.
While shining, he would whistle, snap his shoeshine rag and pop his brushes
in rhythm to records being played on an old nearby Victrola. Brother Bones
became known around town as "Whistling Sam." He would also tap dance and
play the bones and knives, perfecting a style which used four bones in each
hand whereas most bones players used only two. According to Tempo Records,
Brother Bones was discovered by their president while playing in a Chinese
restaurant in downtown Los Angeles and shortly thereafter, his hit, "Sweet
Georgia Brown", was playing on radios across the nation.
"Sweet Georgia Brown" has since been recorded by everyone from
Bing Crosby to Louis Armstrong - even The Beatles! But by far, the most
famous variation was the whistling, bone-clacking version recorded by Brother
Bones & His Shadows in the late 1940's.
The song was adopted in 1952 as the theme song of the Harlem Globetrotters,
novelty basketball team. The catchy tune has been played during their pre-game
warm-ups and throughout their games for decades. Millions around the world
have heard it, and it is probably in the top ten most listened to recordings
in history. So important to the Harlem Globetrotters is "Sweet Georgia
Brown" that it has become their aural trademark, much like MGM has
it's familiar lion's roar.
Brother Bones went on to record over a dozen songs, appear in at least
three movies, perform at Carnegie Hall, and was on The Ed Sullivan Show.
Although Brother Bones had recorded one of the most instantly recognizable
songs of the 20th century, he remained virtually unknown, overshadowed by
his own hit, and the world famous basketball team that adopted it as their
official theme. Here is your chance to own this rare & desirable original
recording as it first appeared in the late 1940s on Tempo Records (652)
backed with "Margie". Condition appears overall VG+ to near Excellent!
