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George Hamilton Green

George Hamilton Green Jr. (May 23, 1893 – September 11, 1970) was a xylophonist, composer, and cartoonist born in Omaha, Nebraska. He was born into a musical family, both his grandfather and his father being composers, arrangers, and conductors for bands in Omaha. His father was the conductor of an army band and growing up in his house, he had access to many musical instruments. From age four G.H. Green showed a prodigious talent as a pianist; he then took up the xylophone and by the age of eleven was being promoted as the “world’s greatest xylophonist” and was playing for crowds of 7,000-10,000. In 1915, when Green was 22 years old, a review in the United States Musician stated: "He has begun where every other xylophone player left off. His touch, his attack, his technique, and his powers of interpretation in the rendition of his solos being far different than other performers. To say his work is marvelous and wonderful would not fully express it." George Hamilton Green wrote several pieces for solo ragtime xylophone with accompaniment, as well as a xylophone method book which continues to be used by percussion pedagogues across the country. Some of his compositions for xylophone include: "Ragtime Robin", "Cross Corners", "Charleston Capers", "Rainbow Ripples", "Log Cabin Blues", "The Whistler", "Chromatic Fox Trot", and "Jovial Jasper" for piano and xylophone because of his experience on both instruments.

He was a popular recording artist starting in 1916 with the Edison Company and was employed, along with his two brothers, Joe and Lew Green, as the original sound music crew for Walt Disney's first three cartoons.

According to Nathaniel Shilkret, Green was not only a "wonderful xylophone artist," but an inventor. Shilkret said that Green designed the vibraharp at Shilkret's request.

Green was an important ragtime composer and authored many pieces that remain standards for the instrument even today. He retired from performing in the late 1940s to pursue a successful career in cartooning. Green would die in 1970, just a few years before a revival in the popularity of his ragtime xylophone music, and before his induction into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame in 1983 The rebirth of his music was led by members of the NEXUS Percussion Ensemble in the late 1970s. Through their efforts, G.H. Green's xylophone music has been preserved and remains a relevant part of contemporary percussion pedagogy and performance.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 23, 1893 (Omaha), Died 1970

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1916 - 1934

Roles Represented in DAHR: xylophone, composer, vibraphone, marimba, arranger, celeste, leader, percussion, bells, lyricist, songwriter, drums

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 176-200 of 355 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
OKeh 579 10-in. ca. Jan. 1919 Vanity Fair Green Brothers' Xylophone Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
OKeh 678 10-in. ca. May 1919 Shake your shoulders Green Brothers' Xylophone Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
OKeh 679 10-in. ca. May 1919 Fluffy ruffles Green Brothers' Xylophone Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
OKeh S-788 10-in. ca. Aug. 1919 Marilynn All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh S-789 10-in. approximately Aug. 1919 My baby's arms All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh S-7043 10-in. ca. Oct. 1919 Where the lanterns glow All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh S-7181 10-in. ca. Jan. 1920 Hot foot Conway's Band ; George Hamilton Green Band, with xylophone solo instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh S-7201 Not documented Feb. 1920 [Unknown title(s)] All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh S-7202 10-in. Feb. 1920 Don't you remember those school days All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh S-7222 10-in. Feb. 1920 Waiting under western skies Green Brothers' Xylophone Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
OKeh S-7274 10-in. Feb. 1920 Alabama moon Green Brothers' Novelty Band Jazz/dance band composer  
OKeh S-7302 Not documented Feb. 1920 [Unknown title(s)] All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh S-7303 10-in. Feb. 1920 Wond'ring All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh S-7408 10-in. Apr. 1920 Do another break Green Brothers' Novelty Band Jazz/dance band composer  
OKeh S-7492 10-in. July 1920 In the land of rice and tea All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh S-7493 10-in. July 1920 Bow-wow (Puppy love) All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh S-7532 10-in. Aug. 1920 Aloha land Ferera and Franchini ; George Hamilton Green Guitar duet, with xylophone (Hawaiian) instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh S-7681 Not documented Nov. 1920 [Unknown title(s)] All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh S-7682 10-in. Nov. 1920 Rosie (Make it rosy for me) All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh S-7693 10-in. Nov. 1920 Arabia Green Brothers' Novelty Band Jazz/dance band composer  
OKeh S-7798 10-in. Feb. 1921 Hawaiian blues Frank Ferera ; Anthony J. Franchini ; George Hamilton Green 2 steel guitars and marimba (Hawaiian) instrumentalist, marimba  
OKeh S-7799 10-in. Feb. 1921 [Unknown title(s)] Frank Ferera ; Anthony J. Franchini ; Joe Green 2 guitars and marimba (Hawaiian) instrumentalist, marimba  
OKeh 9372 10-in. September 1925 My sweet gal Jimmy Joy ; St. Anthony Hotel Orchestra Jazz/dance band songwriter  
OKeh S-70047 10-in. July 1921 Sweet Hawaiian girl of mine Ferera and Franchini ; George Hamilton Green Guitar, steel guitar, and marimba (Hawaiian) instrumentalist, marimba  
OKeh S-70927 10-in. Oct. 1922 Childhood days Blue Ribbon Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
(Results 176-200 of 355 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Green, George Hamilton," accessed April 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104861.

Green, George Hamilton. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104861.

"Green, George Hamilton." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104861

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