GEORGE BARNES
Genres: Swing, Jazz Education, Exotica • United States

George Barnes was born July 17, 1921 in a Chicago suburb. He came from a family of professional musicians and his father, who was a guitarist taught him to play at age 9. George's original chosen instrument was the piano which he began playing at age 6 but when the Barnes family lost their piano as well as their house in the depression all that was left was a Sears Roebuck Silvertone guitar with an action about an inch high. George worked hard at this instrument and by the age of 12 had joined the union. He had by this time heard the records of Bix Beiderbecke featuring Joe Venuti and knew that he wanted to be a jazz musician. Although there were few guitarists around at that time who soloed George never wanted to play rhythm - he wanted to play melody. He had heard many of the records of read more...