Buster Harding facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Buster Harding
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| Birth name | Lavere Harding |
| Born | March 19, 1912 Ontario, Canada |
| Died | November 14, 1965 (aged 53) New York City, New York, United States |
| Genres | Swing music |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, arranger |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Associated acts | Count Basie |
Lavere "Buster" Harding (born March 19, 1917 – died November 14, 1965) was a talented jazz musician from Canada. He was a skilled pianist, but he was especially famous for being a composer and arranger for many big jazz bands. This means he wrote music and helped other musicians make their songs sound amazing!
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Buster Harding's Early Life
Buster Harding was born in North Buxton, Ontario, Canada. When he was young, his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio in the United States. As a teenager, Buster loved music so much that he started his very own band!
A Career in Jazz Music
In 1939, Buster Harding began working with the famous Teddy Wilson big band. A "big band" is a large group of jazz musicians, usually with many brass and woodwind instruments.
Working with Jazz Legends
In the early 1940s, Buster joined the band of Coleman Hawkins. Later, he worked with Cab Calloway, another very famous bandleader.
Buster became a "freelance arranger." This means he worked for many different musicians, helping them create the musical parts for their songs. He arranged music for some of the biggest names in jazz, including:
Musical Director for Billie Holiday
In 1949, Buster Harding became the musical director for Billie Holiday's recording sessions. A musical director helps guide the musicians and makes sure everything sounds perfect during a recording.
Later Years and Legacy
In the early 1960s, Buster played piano with Jonah Jones. However, he was best known for his amazing skills as an arranger and composer. Even though he didn't record his own albums as a band leader, his work was a huge part of many famous jazz recordings.
Buster Harding passed away on November 14, 1965, in New York City. His contributions as an arranger helped shape the sound of jazz for many years.
