Nat Towles
| Nat Towles | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Nat Towles |
| Born |
August 10, 1905 New Orleans, Louisiana, United States |
| Died | January 1963 Berkeley, California, United States |
| Genres |
Jazz music Big band |
| Occupation(s) | Bandleader |
| Instruments | String bass |
| Associated acts | The Nat Towles’ Creole Harmony Kings, The Nat Towles Dance Orchestra |
| Notable instruments | |
| String bass, guitar, violin | |
Nat Towles (August 10, 1905 – January 1963) was an African-American musician, jazz and big band leader popular in his hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana, North Omaha, Nebraska and Chicago, Illinois. He was also music educator in Austin, Texas. The Nat Towles band is considered one of the greatest territory bands of all time by musicians who played in it and by others who heard it.
The son of string bassist Phil "Charlie" Towles, Nat was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 10, 1905. Starting his musical career as a guitarist and violinist at the age of 11, Towles switched to the bass at the age of 13. He performed in New Orleans through his teenage years with Gus Metcalf's Melody Jazz Band, eventually playing with a number of bands, including those of Buddie Petit, Henry "Red" Allen, Jack Carey, and the Original Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra.
In 1923 he formed The Nat Towles' Creole Harmony Kings. This jazz band became one of the prominent territory bands in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska. In 1925 he played bass for Fate Marable, and reformed his own band the next year. In 1934, Towles organized a band of young musicians studying music at Wiley College in Austin, Texas. Towles also worked a club circuit in Dallas during this period, reportedly working for a gangster who owned 26 nightclubs throughout the city. During this period T-Bone Walker and Buddy Tate worked for Towles.
...
Wikipedia