C. Griffin
Gordon Claude "Chris" Griffin (October 31, 1915 – June 18, 2005) was an American jazz trumpeter. Griffin was born in Binghamton, New York, United States, but moved to White Plains when he was ten; he began playing trumpet at age twelve, and played in dance bands as a teenager. He worked with Charlie Barnet, Rudy Vallee, Miff Mole, Mildred Bailey, Teddy Wilson, and Joe Haymes in the mid-1930s, and did work as a studio musician for CBS radio broadcasting. In 1936 he joined Benny Goodman's big band, remaining with him until 1939. He appeared in several movies as a member of Goodman's ensemble, such as The Big Broadcast of 1937 and Hollywood Hotel, and was the last surviving member of Goodman's band to perform in the first major jazz event at Carnegie Hall which was recorded and later released as The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert. In 1940 he played with Jimmy Dorsey and occasionally returned to Goodman's band in the 1940s and 1950s, but primarily worked on staff at CBS from the late 1930s onward. He played trumpet for radio television soundtracks into the 1980s, including for The Ed Sullivan Show, The Jackie Gleason Show, Lucky Strike Hit Parade, The Philip Morris Playhouse, and Camel Caravan. Griffin and Pee Wee Erwin co-founded a trumpet education school which operated from 1966 to 1970, and toured with Warren Covington in Europe in 1974. He worked with Tex Beneke, Bud Freeman, and Warren Vaché Sr. later in his career. In the 1980s he led an ensemble of his own which included sidemen such as Marty Napoleon, Sonny Igoe, Jane Jarvis, and Major Holley. Griffin was married to vocalist Helen O'Brien for 60 years until her death in 2000. The couple had four sons, one of whom also died in 2000, and two daughters. He died aged 89 in 2005 of melanoma. |
Birth and Death Data: Born October 31, 1915 (Binghamton), Died June 18, 2005 (Danbury)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1937 - 1954
Roles Represented in DAHR: trumpet
Notes: Birth name: Gordon Griffin.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 129 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | PBS-09569 | 10-in. | 7/6/1937 | Peckin' | Benny Goodman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | PBS-09570 | 10-in. | 7/6/1937 | Can't we be friends? | Benny Goodman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | PCS-09571 | 12-in. | 7/6/1937 | Sing, sing, sing | Benny Goodman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | PCS-09572 | 12-in. | 7/6/1937 | Sing, sing, sing | Benny Goodman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | PBS-09576 | 10-in. | 7/7/1937 | Roll 'em | Benny Goodman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | PBS-09577 | 10-in. | 7/7/1937 | When it's sleepy time down South | Benny Goodman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | PBS-09578 | 10-in. | 7/7/1937 | Afraid to dream | Benny Goodman Orchestra ; Betty Van | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | PBS-09579 | 10-in. | 7/7/1937 | Changes | Benny Goodman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | BS-017039 | 10-in. | 11/12/1937 | You took the words right out of my mouth | Benny Goodman Orchestra ; Martha Tilton | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | BS-017040 | 10-in. | 11/12/1937 | Mama, that moon is here again | Benny Goodman Orchestra ; Martha Tilton | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | BS-017041 | 10-in. | 11/12/1937 | Loch Lomond | Benny Goodman Orchestra ; Martha Tilton | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | BS-017042 | 10-in. | 11/12/1937 | Camel hop | Benny Goodman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | BS-017043 | 10-in. | 11/12/1937 | True confession | Benny Goodman Orchestra ; Martha Tilton | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | BS-017044 | 10-in. | 11/12/1937 | Life goes to a party | Benny Goodman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | BS-017454 | 10-in. | 12/3/1937 | If dreams come true | Benny Goodman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | BS-017455 | 10-in. | 12/3/1937 | I'm like a fish out of water | Benny Goodman Orchestra ; Martha Tilton | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | BS-017456 | 10-in. | 12/3/1937 | Sweet stranger | Benny Goodman Orchestra ; Martha Tilton | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | BS-019831 | 10-in. | 2/16/1938 | Don't be that way | Benny Goodman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | BS-019832 | 10-in. | 2/16/1938 | One o'clock jump | Benny Goodman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | BS-024472 | 10-in. | 8/8/1938 | You got me | Benny Goodman Orchestra ; Martha Tilton | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | BS-024473 | 10-in. | 8/8/1938 | Blue interlude | Benny Goodman Orchestra ; Martha Tilton | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | BS-028997 | 10-in. | 11/23/1938 | I must see Annie tonight | Benny Goodman Orchestra ; Martha Tilton | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | BS-028998 | 10-in. | 11/23/1938 | Kind'a lonesome | Benny Goodman Orchestra ; Martha Tilton | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | BS-028999 | 10-in. | 11/23/1938 | My honey's lovin' arms | Benny Goodman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Victor | BS-030308 | 10-in. | 11/23/1938 | Farewell blues | Benny Goodman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, trumpet |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Griffin, C.," accessed November 18, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/112159.
Griffin, C.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 18, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/112159.
"Griffin, C.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Chris Griffin
Discogs: C. Griffin
Allmusic: C. Griffin
Grove: C. Griffin
IMDb: C. Griffin
Britannica: C. Griffin
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Griffin, Chris, 1915-2005 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2003053125
Wikidata: Chris Griffin - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1077247
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/348149294108080520870
MusicBrainz: Chris Griffin - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/e07f1817-76d6-46aa-b202-fc3d82f89a03
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
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