Cecil Gant
Cecil Gant (born April 4, 1913 in Nashville , Tennessee , † February 4, 1951 in Nashville, Tennessee) was an American blues singer and pianist.
Live and act
From the 1930s to the Second World War and his conscription to the US Army , Gant made music in the clubs of his home country, usually accompanied by a rhythm section. While still in uniform, he released the single I Wonder in 1944 under the name "Pvt. Gant" ("Pvt." Stands for "Private", i.e. private ) on the small label Bronze Records . The song became an overwhelming success, number 1 on the Harlem Hit Parade , the charts for black ( race ) music at the time, rhythm and blues .
Gant went on tour as The GI Sing-sation . It was a live attraction but failed to replicate I Wonder's commercial success . Considered the grandfather of rock 'n' roll , he was ahead of his time; his song Rock Little Baby from 1951 is often regarded as the first rock'n'roll piece. Other well-known pieces by Gant were Shot Gun Boogie, Train Time, Owl Stew, Ninth Street Jive, Special Delivery Blues, Cindy Lou, Someday You'll Be Sorry, My House Fell Down and I'm All Alone Now .
Gant died in Nashville in 1951 of complications from pneumonia.
Web links
- Cecil Gant - the forgotten pioneer by JC Marion
- Biography at Allmusic.com (engl.)
- Music Web biography
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Gant, Cecil |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American blues singer and pianist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | April 4, 1913 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Nashville , Tennessee |
| DATE OF DEATH | 4th February 1951 |
| Place of death | Nashville , Tennessee |