Fred Below

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Fred Below


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Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name =
Born = birth date|1926|9|6|mf=y
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died = death date and age|1988|6|14|1926|9|6|mf=y
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Origin =
Instrument = Drums
Genre = Blues
Years_active =
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Fred Below (6 September 1926 — 14 August 1988) was a leading American rhythm and blues drummer, best known for his innovative work with Little Walter and Chess Records in the 1950s. Nobody laid more of the Chicago blues rhythmic foundations, particularly its archetypal backbeat, than Fred Below.cite book
first= Tony
last= Russell
year= 1997
title= The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray
edition=
publisher= Carlton Books Limited
location= Dubai
pages= p. 91
id= ISBN 1-85868-255-X]

Career

He was born in Chicago, and started playing drums in a high school jazz band. After being conscripted into the United States Army, he joined the 427th Army band, where he played with Lester Young. After war service, he played in clubs in Germany before returning to the United States in 1951.

Back in Chicago, Below joined a group called The Aces, comprising Junior Wells and brothers Louis and Dave Myers. After Wells left for a solo career they became the backing band for harmonica player Little Walter, who had just left Muddy Waters' band. As Little Walter and the Nightcats, they became one of the top electric blues bands in Chicago.

In 1955, Below left Little Walter's live band to concentrate on working as a session musician for Chess Records. However, he continued to play on Little Walter's records, as well as hit records for Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Jimmy Rogers, Elmore James, Otis Rush, Junior Wells, Howlin' Wolf and others.

Whilst John Brim's last Chess single, "I Would Hate to See You Go," was waxed in 1956 with a combo consisting of Little Walter, guitarist Robert Lockwood, Jr., bassist Willie Dixon, and Fred Below. [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:0cfpxqr5ldde~T1 All Music Guide biography] ]

Amongst his more famous work was playing on Chuck Berry's 1957 hit single, "School Days".

The Myers brothers and Below re-formed under the Aces moniker in 1970 to tour Europe before again going their separate ways. [Santelli, Robert. "The Big Book of Blues", Penguin Books, page 3, (2001) - ISBN 0141001453]

Fred Below died from cancer on 14 August 1988 in Chicago at the age of 61. [http://users.efortress.com/doc-rock/1980.html Dead Rock Stars website - accessed February 2008] ]

References