Fred Below (born September 16, 1926 , Chicago , Illinois ; † August 14, 1988 , Chicago, Illinois) was an American blues musician who played drums . He is known for his work as a session musician with Chess Records and as a drummer for Little Walter's band in the 1950s.
Life
He started playing drums as a jazz drummer in high school , after being drafted into the army, he played in the 427th Army Band, where he performed with Lester Young . In 1951 he was discharged from the army and recommended by the then drummer of the Muddy Waters Band to the Aces , who were urgently looking for a drummer. The aces were Junior Wells (harmonica and vocals) and the brothers Louis and Dave Myers . Shortly thereafter, Little Walter left the Muddy Watersband and Junior Wells took over, while the Aces with Below and the Myers brothers became Walters. They were later renamed The Jukes. Their conception of music matched so well that they became Chicago's hottest bands, and a large part of their success can be attributed to the refined and elegant game of Belows. He was featured on almost all of the hits in Little Walters.
In 1955 he left Walter's live band and concentrated on working as a session musician for Chess Records . He is on recordings of Muddy Waters , Willie Dixon , Chuck Berry (as on the hit single: School Days), Otis Rush , Elmore James , Junior Wells , Buddy Guy , Dinah Washington , The Platters , The Moonglows , The Drifters , Bo Diddley , Heard John Lee Hooker , Howlin 'Wolf and many more.
In the 1970s, Below and the Myers brothers got together again and went on tour in Europe, but in the end they parted again and went their own way.
Fred Below died of cancer in Chicago in 1988
In 2016, Rolling Stone listed Below 35th of the 100 best drummers of all time .
Guest appearances (selection)
1950s
1956 Rock, Rock, Rock Original Soundtrack
1957 After School Session [Expanded] Chuck Berry
1957 Blow the Back off It Billy Boy Arnold
1959 Blowin 'the Blues [World Pacific] Various Artists
1959 Chuck Berry Is on Top Chuck Berry
1959 Down and Out Blues Sonny Boy Williamson II
1960s
1960 Rockin 'at the Hops Chuck Berry
1962 Rockin 'Chair Album Howlin' Wolf
1964 Little Walter Little Walter
1964 St. Louis to Liverpool Chuck Berry
1965 Big Mama Thornton in Europe Big Mama Thornton
1965 Blues, Vol. 3 [Chess / MCA] Various Artists
1965 Five Long Years Eddie Boyd
1965 Real Folk Blues Sonny Boy Williamson
1966 Chicago / The Blues / Today! , Vol. 1 Various Artists
1966 It's My Life, Baby! Junior Wells
1966 Otis Spann's Chicago Blues Otis Spann
1967 More Real Folk Blues Howlin 'Wolf s
1967 More Real Folk Blues Sonny Boy Williamson II
1967 Stand Back! Here Comes Charley Musselwhite's Southsid Charlie Musselwhite's Southside Band
1968 Ball n 'Chain Big Mama Thornton
1968 Man and the Blues Buddy Guy
1968 One Way Out Sonny Boy Williamson II
1969 Bummer Road Sonny Boy Williamson II
1969 Chicago Bues star Charlie Musselwhite
1969 Hate to See You Go Little Walter
1969 Johnny Shines with Big Walter Horton Johnny Shines With Big Walter Horton
1969 Koko Taylor Koko Taylor
1969 Whose Muddy Shoes Elmore James / John Brim
1970s
1970 Crusade JB Lenoir
1970 Goin 'Back Home Howlin' Wolf
1970 Steady Rollin 'Man Robert Lockwood, Jr.
1971 In the Beginning (1958/64) Buddy Guy
1971 Thunderbird Little Walter
1972 Live and Cookin 'at Alice's Revisited Howlin' Wolf
1972 This Is My Story Sonny Boy Williamson II
1973 Best of Chicago Blues [Vanguard LP] Various Artists
1973 Feel Like Blowing My Horn [Bonus Tracks] Roosevelt Sykes
1973 Feel Like Blowing My Horn Roosevelt Sykes
1973 I Believe in Music Louis Jordan
1973 Plays Ragtime Blues Sunnyland Slim
1973 South Side Lady Koko Taylor
1974 Blues in Me Mickey Baker
1974 Funky from Chicago Johnny Littlejohn
1975 Lonesome in My Bedroom Luther "Georgia Boy Snake" Johnson
1975 My Guitar & Me Hubert Sumlin
1975 Shake That Thing Willie Mabon
1975 Sweet Home Chicago Lonnie Brooks
1976 Bluemasters Jimmy Rogers
1976 Living the Blues Jimmy Rogers
1976 Vacation from the Blues Eddie Boyd
1977 blues hit Big Town Junior Wells
1977 Chess Blues Masters Muddy Waters
1977 What It Takes: The Chess Years Koko Taylor
1978 Highway Is My Home Magic Slim & The Teardrops
1978 Mojo Boogie Big Mojo Elem
1979 Don't Make a Mistake Sonny Boy Williamson II
1979 Got to Use Your Head Buddy Guy
1980s
1980 Groaning the Blues Otis Rush
1980 Other takes 1956/58 [1 side] Otis Rush
1980 What's the Secret of Your Success? The Coasters
1981 Stone Crazy! Buddy guy
1982 Great Twenty-Eight Chuck Berry
1982 Quarter to Twelve Little Walter
1983 Original Blues Brothers Live Buddy Guy & Junior Wells
1984 Muddy Waters on Chess 1951-1959, Vol. 2 Muddy Waters
1984 Rare & Unissued Muddy Waters
1986 Boss Blues Harmonica Little Walter
1986 Howlin 'Wolf / Moanin' in the Moonlight Howlin 'Wolf
1986 rock 'n' roll rarities Chuck Berry
1987 Best of Chess Rock & Roll, Vol. 1 Various Artists
1987 Blues, Vol. 2 [Chess / MCA] Various Artists
1987 Harmonica Blues Kings Big Walter / Alfred Harris
1987 Raining in My Heart Roosevelt Sykes
1988 Best of Little Walter [Chess] Little Walter
Individual evidence
↑ https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000796396
↑ https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000796396
↑ 100 Greatest Drummers of All Time. Rolling Stone , March 31, 2016, accessed August 6, 2017 .
↑ allmusic guide credits
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