Chuck Lampkin facts for kids

Chuck Lampkin was an American musician who played percussion in jazz bands and later became a TV news anchor.

Early Life

Charles Roland "Chuck" Lampkin was born on June 5, 1934, in Cleveland, Ohio. His parents, Charles and Myrtle Lampkin, were from Alabama. His father was a music teacher. His mother worked for the government, helping veterans.

Music Career

Chuck Lampkin started learning piano when he was young. He taught himself how to play percussion while traveling with dance bands in the 1950s. In 1960, he recorded a Dixieland jazz album called The Happy Jazz of Rex Stewart.

In 1958, he joined the U.S. Army band as a percussionist. He was sent to West Germany during a time called the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Around 1960, Lampkin became the percussionist for the famous Dizzy Gillespie Quintet. They recorded the Gillespiana album in Paris in November 1960. The group played at famous jazz clubs like Birdland in New York City. They also recorded An Electrifying Evening with the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet in February 1961. A month later, they performed at Carnegie Hall and recorded Carnegie Hall Concert. In September, they recorded A Musical Safari – Live at the Monterey Jazz Festival.

Jazz Casual TV Show

Jazz Casual was a TV show about jazz music. It was made for National Educational Television (NET), which later became PBS. The show ran from 1961 to 1968. It was hosted by a journalist named Ralph J. Gleason. The Dizzy Gillespie Quintet first appeared on the show in January 1961.

Jazz Ambassador for the U.S.

In 1956, the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet became part of a special program. The U.S. government wanted to share American culture and music around the world. This was during the Cold War, a time of tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The goal was to show American values through music.

Chuck Lampkin toured with the quintet in 1960 and 1961. They visited places like the UK, France, Sweden, and Brazil.

Starting in 1963, Lampkin joined the Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Quintet. They recorded albums like Bossa Nova and Jazz for Breakfast at Tiffany's.

The Ahmad Jamal Trio

In 1963, Lampkin also joined Ahmad Jamal and bassist Jamil Sulieman. They formed a group called the Ahmad Jamal Trio. They made three albums: Naked City Theme, The Roar of the Greasepaint, and Macanudo.

After a while, it became hard to make a living as a jazz musician. So, Chuck Lampkin decided to try working in television. On November 2, 1970, he became one of the first Black men to present the nightly news in North America. This was on WBEN-TV in Buffalo, New York.

TV News Career (1970–1999)

Chuck Lampkin presented the nightly news in Buffalo from 1970 to 1980. Then, he moved to New Orleans and worked at WDSU-TV until 1985. After that, he worked for the mayor, Ernest Nathan Morial, helping with communication.

In the early 1990s, Lampkin created a TV show called "Cookin with Soul." He tried to get it shown on many channels, but it didn't happen. From 1995, Lampkin presented the news for News 12 New Jersey. He continued this until he had a stroke in 1999.

Death

Chuck Lampkin passed away on February 10, 2003. He died from kidney failure and other health problems. His funeral was held in Manhattan. He was survived by his wife, Gail Robichaux, and his son and daughter.