25 Facts About Danny Barker

Daniel Moses Barker was an American jazz musician, vocalist, and author from New Orleans.

Danny Barker was a rhythm guitarist for Cab Calloway, Lucky Millinder and Benny Carter during the 1930s.

Danny Barker toured and recorded with his wife, singer Blue Lu Barker.

Danny Barker was born to a family of musicians in New Orleans in 1909, the grandson of bandleader Isidore Barbarin and nephew of drummers Paul Barbarin and Louis Barbarin.

Danny Barker took up clarinet and drums before switching to a ukulele that his aunt got him, and then a banjo from his uncle or a trumpeter named Lee Collins.

Danny Barker began his career as a musician in his youth with his streetband the Boozan Kings, and toured Mississippi with Little Brother Montgomery.

Danny Barker played with several acts when he moved to New York, including Fess Williams, Billy Fowler and the White Brothers.

Danny Barker worked with Buddy Harris in 1933, Albert Nicholas in 1935, Lucky Millinder from 1937 to 1938, and Benny Carter in 1938.

From 1939 to 1946, he frequently recorded with Cab Calloway, and started his own group featuring his wife Blue Lu Danny Barker after leaving Calloway.

Danny Barker returned to working with Albert Nicholas in 1948 and in 1949 rejoined efforts with his wife in a group.

Danny Barker performed at the 1960 Newport Jazz Festival with Eubie Blake.

In 1965, Danny Barker returned to New Orleans and took up a position as assistant to the curator of the New Orleans Jazz Museum.

Danny Barker played regularly at many New Orleans venues from the late 1960s through the early 1990s, in addition to touring.

Danny Barker published an autobiography and many articles on New Orleans and jazz history.

Danny Barker composed a number of songs, some of which other New Orleans bands perform regularly into the 21st century.

Danny Barker wrote and had published two books on jazz from the Oxford University Press.

Danny Barker enjoyed painting and was an amateur landscape artist.

Danny Barker suffered from diabetes throughout most of his adult life, and was often in general poor health.

Danny Barker died of cancer in New Orleans on 13 March 1994 at age 85.

Danny Barker was buried from St Raymond Catholic Church in New Orleans.

Danny Barker is featured posthumously in the 2011 non-fiction film by Darren Hoffman, Tradition is a Temple.

Musicians from the documentary speak at length of the profound impact that Danny Barker had on their lives and careers and New Orleans poet Chuck Perkins reads a poem written for and dedicated to his memory.

In 1957 Danny Barker appeared in the CBS TV program The Sound of Jazz, performing with Red Allen, Pee Wee Russell, Coleman Hawkins and others.

Danny Barker appears in Les Blank's New Orleans documentary Always for Pleasure, including an interview and several performance sequences.

Danny Barker appeared in the 1987 American television drama film A Gathering of Old Men, in which he played the role of Chimlee.