Harris, Joe

Harris, Joe, jazz trombonist, singer; b. Sedalia, Mo., 1908; d. Fresno, Calif., summer 1952. He took up trombone at 16, played with local bands in Okla., then moved to Seminoie, Tex. (where he met Jack Teagarden inl927). He played for a while in Canada, then temporarily gave up full-time music, but continued to gig in Sedalia. He played in riverboat band on the SS Idlewild, then joined Joe Haymes’s Band in Springfield, Mo. In late 1932 he joined Frankie Trumbauer for a residency in Chicago, then a tour of Tex. He left to take Jack Teagarden’s place in Ben Pollack’s Band (Chicago, May 1933). He freelanced in N.Y., then became a member of Bob Crosby’s first band (1935), recorded with Benny Goodman (April 1935), then joined Benny Goodman from August 1935 until May 1936. He left to join the MGM studio staff in Hollywood, and played for various leaders including George Stoll and Victor Young until February 1937, when he suffered a fractured skull in a car accident. He was out of music until joining a big band led by sax-arranger Lyle “Spud” Murphy (February 1938). He did studio work and a spell in Carl Hoff’s Orch., then rejoined Ben Pollack from March until July 1940. In 1942 played for seven months in Pee Wee Erwin’s Band, then three months with Bob Chester before returning to studio work. He rejoined Benny Goodman from spring 1943 until August 1943, then played in Eddie Miller’s Big Band. He returned to studio work, and during the late 1940s was gigging in Calif. with various bands including Ted Jefferson’s Mel-o-tones. He lost his life in a second car crash.

—John Chilton Who’s Who of Jazz/Lewis Porter