Wayne Bennett (blues guitarist)

Wayne Bennett (December 13, 1931 – November 28 1992), was a blues guitarist. He was born on in Sulphur, Oklahoma, and died in New Orleans Louisiana. He worked with prominent blues musicians such as Bobby Bland, Boxcar Willie, Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker and Elmore James, as well as with renowned jazz musicians, including Cannonball Adderley, Sonny Stitt and Dexter Gordon. In 1990, Bennett played on Willy DeVille's album "Victory Mixture." Wayne also played with such R & B acts as the Chi-Lites, the Lost Generation, the Hues Corporation; among many others and even cut his own record in 1968, an instrumental called "Casanova, Your Playing Days are Over" on the now defunct Brunswick label.

Wayne Bennett was a guitarist originally known for his jazz-tinged blues guitar work with Bobby "Blue" Bland. He worked with Bland for a long time, and his solo on "Stormy Monday" on Bland's album "Here's The Man" is still considered by many guitarists to be a classic, drawing both from T-Bone Walker and jazz influences. Bennett himself never liked to claim to be a blues player, preferring instead to be as versatile as he could be, and taking pride in being able to quote from a wide variety of popular music, including TV theme songs. In his earlier years he played a Gibson Byrdland hollow-body, but in later years he was also seen playing a custom Tom Holmes Cadillac solid-body.

At one time or another Wayne had also been a member of the house orchestra at the Apollo in New York City, the Regal Theatre in Chicago, the Howard in Washington, D.C., the Uptown Theatre in Philadelphia and the Royal Theatre in Baltimore.

Some of Wayne's training included studying guitar with Harry Volpe in N.Y.C. for 2 years.Studying harmony with Nate Griffin in Chicago for one year.Studying harmony with Junior Mance in Chicago for two years, and studying harmony and ear training with Tony Hanson in Cleveland for one year.

Discography

(Artist - Label - # Of Albums)

*Ramsey Lewis - Columbia - 1
*Tyrone Davis - Dakar-Brunswick - 5
*Bobby Bland - Duke-Peacock - 8
*Chi-Lites - Brunswick - 4
*Jackie Wilson - Brunswick - 4
*The Lost Generation - Brunswick - 2
*Hamilton Bohannon - Brunswick - 3
*Independents - Scepter - 1
*Jerry Butler - Mercury - 1
*Jimmy Reed - ABC-Blues Way - 5
*Five Blind Boys - Peacock - 2
*Soul Stirrers - GRT/Chess - 1
*Mighty Clouds Of Joy - GRT/Chess - 2
*Salem Travelers - GRT/Chess - 1
*Fats Domino - Imperial - 1
*Operation Breadbasket - Chess - 2
*Little Junior Parker - United Artist - 1

Concert performances

*Lou Rawls McCormick Inn- Chicago 1972
*Aretha Franklin Central Park, Ney York City 1970
*Otis Clay Mississippi 1974
*Sonny Stitt Apartment Lounge - Chicago 1974
*Dexter Gordon Apartment Lounge - Chicago 1974
*Jimmy Smith Happy Medium - Chicago 1974
*Cannonball Adderley Capitol Theatre - Chicago 1970
*Organizers Living Room - Chicago 1972-1973
*Gene Ammons Operation PUSH - Capitol Theatre 1972

Recording releases

Title Label YearCasanova Giant October-1967

Teaching experience (Guitar)

Employer Supervisor & Conductor DatesChicago All-City Program Burgess Gardner 1972 & 1973Chicago Board Of Education (Musician In Residence)Jones High SchoolChicago All-City Program

Fret Shop -Chicago One Year

Wayne's children are LaVeda M. Bennett (Decatur, Ga/Chicago, Il); Tony Bennett (Oklahoma); Waynette Bennett (San Francisco, Ca); Nefertiti Bennett (New Orleans); Keith Ward and widow Theresa Bennett of New Orleans.

External links

* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=R55792#APPEAR All Music Guide]