Brother Bones
Brother Bones | |
|---|---|
| Born | Freeman Davis October 4, 1902 Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.[1] |
| Died | June 14, 1974 (aged 71) Long Beach, California, United States |
| Genres | popular songs |
| Occupations | Musician, dancer, actor, shoeshiner |
| Instruments | whistling, bone, knives, spoons |
| Years active | 1940s–1950s |
| Formerly of | Scatman Crothers, The Shadows |
Freeman Davis (October 4, 1902 – June 14, 1974[1]) was an American whistling and bone playing recording artist best known by his stage names "Brother Bones" and "Whistling Sam".
Early life
[edit | edit source]Freeman Davis was born in Montgomery, Alabama.[1]
Career
[edit | edit source]Davis is best remembered for his 1949 recording (as Brother Bones and His Shadows) of the 1925 standard "Sweet Georgia Brown".[2] The recording became nationally famous after its adoption as the theme song of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team in 1952. Notably, the bass line for this track uses the Novachord, a very early electronic synthesizer more prominently featured on the B side of the record. Despite the success of this record, Davis himself remained relatively unknown.[citation needed]
Death
[edit | edit source]Davis died in June 1974, in Long Beach, California, at the age of 71.[1] Davis was buried in Woodlawn Memorial Park, Compton, Los Angeles County, California.[3]
Popular culture
[edit | edit source]His song, "Black Eyed Susan Brown", was sampled in the De La Soul song, "Pease Porridge", on their 1991 album, De La Soul Is Dead.
"Sweet Georgia Brown" was used in the Vauxhall Meriva television advertisement in the UK.
References
[edit | edit source]External links
[edit | edit source]- Freeman "Brother Bones" Davis (1902–1974) – Find A Grave Memorial
- Recordings of Brother Bones at the Online Guide to Whistling Records
- Who is Brother Bones? on BoneDryMusic.com
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