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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 201-225 of 355 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
OKeh S-70928 10-in. Oct. 1922 Who loves you most after all? Blue Ribbon Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh S-71257 10-in. Feb. 1923 Love's ship Blue Ribbon Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh S-71262 10-in. Feb. 1923 The first waltz (Belongs to me) Blue Ribbon Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh S-71327 10-in. March 1923 Aggravatin' papa Blue Ribbon Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh S-71328 10-in. March 1923 That da da strain Blue Ribbon Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh S-71612 10-in. June 1923 Sweet Anabel Blue Ribbon Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh S-71613 10-in. June 1923 Good night Blue Ribbon Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh [OK cat 1100-b] 10-in. approximately 1918 Just blue All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh [OK cat 1268-A] 10-in. approximately 1919 Tell me All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh [OK cat 4109-A] 10-in. approximately 1920 Whose baby are you? All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
OKeh [OK cat 4123-b] 10-in. 4/15/1920 Hullo, home All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
Brunswick 2846 10-in. approximately Sept. 1919 My Cairo love All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
Brunswick 2849 10-in. approximately Sept. 1919 The vamp All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
Brunswick 3455 10-in. approximately Jan. 1920 Hold me All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
Brunswick 3458 10-in. approximately Jan. 1920 The last part of every party All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
Brunswick 3751 10-in. approximately June 1920 Do another break Green Brothers' Xylophone Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Brunswick 4369 10-in. approximately Oct. 1920 Dolly All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
Brunswick 4371 10-in. approximately Oct. 1920 Anytime, anyday, anywhere All Star Trio Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, xylophone  
Brunswick 2953-2954 10-in. approximately Oct. 1919 Fluffy ruffles Green Brothers' Xylophone Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Brunswick 3755-3756 10-in. approximately June 1920 Who wants a baby All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
Brunswick 3757-3758 10-in. approximately June 1920 Le wanna All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
Brunswick 3759-3760 10-in. approximately June 1920 Rose of the Orient All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
Brunswick 3761-3762 10-in. approximately June 1920 The love nest All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
Brunswick 4471-4472 10-in. approximately Nov. 1920 Dolly All Star Trio Instrumental trio instrumentalist, xylophone  
Brunswick 4473-4474 10-in. approximately Nov. 1920 Anytime, anyday, anywhere All Star Trio Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, xylophone  
(Results 201-225 of 355 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Green, George Hamilton," accessed April 27, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104861.

Green, George Hamilton. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 27, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104861.

"Green, George Hamilton." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 27 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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