Tuff Green facts for kids
Richard “Tuff” Green (born July 23, 1911, in Greenville, Mississippi) was a talented musician. He was a jazz and R&B bassist and a bandleader. This means he played the bass guitar and led his own music groups.
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Early Music Days
Richard Green, known as "Tuff," learned music in Memphis. He studied with a famous bandleader named Jimmie Lunceford. In the late 1940s, Tuff Green started his own band called The Rocketeers. This band had many great musicians. Some of them were Phineas Newborn Sr., Ben Branch, and Willie Mitchell.
The Rocketeers and "First Rock and Roll"
The Rocketeers were very important. A musician named Mose Allison heard them play in 1947. He later said that Tuff Green and His Rocketeers played the very first "rock and roll" music! This shows how much of an impact Tuff Green had on music history.
Helping Other Stars
Tuff Green became a well-known bandleader in Memphis. In 1951, he helped BB King record his first big hit song, “Three O’Clock Blues”. Tuff Green put together a special group of musicians for this recording. This group included Ben Branch, Phineas Newborn Sr., and his sons, Phineas Jr. and Calvin.
Recording at Home
Many famous songs were recorded in Tuff Green's own sitting room! This was like a home studio. BB King's “Three O’Clock Blues” was recorded there. Another famous singer, Bobby Bland, also made his first recording in Green’s sitting room. Other musicians who recorded there included Johnny Ace, Earl Forest, and Ike Turner. Rosco Gordon’s song "No More Doggin'" was also recorded at Green's home. It became a big hit, reaching #3 on the R&B charts.
Music He Played On
Tuff Green played on many albums throughout his career. He was featured on some collections of music and also played as a sideman for other artists.
- 2000: A Shot In The Dark - Nashville Jumps
- 2007: Bullet Records - Rhythm & Blues
- 2010: Bullet Records Jump, Blues & Ballads
Albums as a Sideman
- 1977: Rosco Gordon – The Legendary Sun Performers
- 2010: Ike Turner – That Kat Sure Could Play! The Singles 1951-1957
- 2013: B.B. King – The Indispensable 1949-1962
