Editing Zutty Singleton

{{Short description|American jazz drummer (1898– 1975)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name               = Zutty Singleton
| image              = Zutty Singleton, Adele Girard (Gottlieb 07861) (cropped).jpg
| caption            = Singleton with [[Adele Girard]] on harp in 1939; photo: [[William P. Gottlieb]]
| background         =  non_vocal_instrumentalist
| birth_name         = Arthur James Singleton
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|1898|05|14}}
| birth_place        = [[Bunkie, Louisiana]], U.S.
| death_date         = {{death date and age|1975|07|14|1898|05|14}}
| death_place        = [[New York City]], U.S.
| genre              = Jazz
| occupation         = Musician
| instrument         = Drums
| years_active       = 1915–1970
| associated_acts    = [[Louis Armstrong]], [[Bubber Miley]], [[Tommy Ladnier]], [[Fats Waller]], [[Jelly Roll Morton]], [[Jimmie Noone]]
}}

'''Arthur James''' "'''Zutty'''" '''Singleton''' (May 14, 1898 – July 14, 1975)<ref name="LarkinGE">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Guinness Publishing]]|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-939-0|pages=2279/80}}</ref> was an American [[jazz]] drummer.

==Career==

Singleton was born in [[Bunkie, Louisiana]], United States,<ref name="LarkinGE"/> and raised in [[New Orleans]]. According to his ''Jazz Profiles'' biography, his unusual nickname, acquired in infancy, is the Creole word for "cute".<ref>[http://jazzprofiles.blogspot.com/2014/12/baby-dodds-and-zutty-singleton-paving.html Biography], by Steven A. Cerra, at [http://jazzprofiles.blogspot.com Jazz Profiles]. Retrieved April 28, 2017.</ref> He was working professionally with [[Steve Lewis (musician)|Steve Lewis]] by 1915. He served with the [[United States Navy]] in [[World War I]]. After returning to New Orleans he worked with [[Papa Celestin]], [[Louis Nelson Delisle|Big Eye Louis Nelson]], [[John Robichaux]], and [[Fate Marable]]. He left for St. Louis, Missouri, to play in [[Charlie Creath]]'s band, then moved to [[Chicago]], Illinois.

In Chicago, Singleton played with [[Doc Cook]], [[Dave Peyton]], [[Jimmie Noone]], and theater bands, then joined [[Louis Armstrong]]'s band with [[Earl Hines]]. In 1928 and 1929, Singleton performed on landmark recordings with [[Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five]].<ref name="jsp_314" /><ref name="jsp_315" /><ref name="penguin" />{{Rp|41}}<ref name="note" /> In 1929, he moved with Armstrong to New York City.

In addition to playing with Armstrong in New York, he played with [[Bubber Miley]], [[Tommy Ladnier]], [[Fats Waller]], [[Jelly Roll Morton]]<ref name="penguin" />{{Rp|1044}}<ref name="jsp_322" /> and [[Otto Hardwick]]. Singleton also played in the band backing [[Bill Robinson]]. In 1934, Singleton returned to Chicago. In 1937, he returned to New York, working there with [[Mezz Mezzrow]] and [[Sidney Bechet]].<ref name="penguin" />{{Rp|99}}
[[File:Tommy Potter, Max Kaminsky, Benny Morton, Zutty Singleton, Adele Girard, Teddy Wilson, and Joe Marsala, National Press Club, Washington, D.C., ca. 1939 (William P. Gottlieb 03591) (cropped).jpg|thumb|261x261px|left|[[Tommy Potter]], [[Max Kaminsky (musician)|Max Kaminsky]], [[Benny Morton]], Singleton, [[Adele Girard]], [[Teddy Wilson]], and [[Joe Marsala]], National Press Club, [[Washington, D.C.]] in 1939]]
In 1943, Singleton moved to [[Los Angeles]], California, where he led his own band, played for motion pictures, and appeared on the radio program ''[[The Orson Welles Almanac]]'' (1944). He also worked with  [[Slim Gaillard]], [[Wingy Manone]],<ref name="penguin" />{{Rp|937}} [[Eddie Condon]], [[Nappy Lamare]], [[Art Hodes]], [[Hot Lips Page|Oran "Hot Lips" Page]], and [[Max Kaminsky (jazz)|Max Kaminsky]].

==Death==
Singleton retired after suffering a stroke in 1970. He died in New York City in 1975, at the age of 77.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> His wife Margie (sister of [[Charlie Creath]]) died in 1982 at the age of 82.<ref name="AM">{{cite web |title=Margie Singleton |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/margie-singleton-mn0000675133/biography |website=AllMusic |access-date=19 May 2020}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em|refs= <ref name="penguin">{{cite book|last=Cook|first=Richard|author-link=Richard Cook (journalist)|author2=Brian Morton |author-link2=Brian Morton (Scottish writer) |title=The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings |orig-year=1992|edition=9th|series=The Penguin Guide to Jazz|year=2008|publisher=Penguin|location=New York|isbn=978-0-14-103401-0}}</ref><ref name="note">''The Penguin Guide'' gives the recording year as 1927.</ref><ref name="jsp_314">{{cite AV media notes|title=Louis Armstrong Hot Fives & Sevens Volume 3|others=Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five (June–July 1928)/Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra (December 1928)/Louis Armstrong and His Savoy Ballroom Five (December 1928)|year=1991|first=Sally-Ann|last=Worsfold|at=back cover|type=CD booklet |publisher=JSP Records |id=JSP CD 314 |location=London}}</ref><ref name="jsp_315">{{cite AV media notes|title=Louis Armstrong Hot Fives & Sevens Volume 4|others=Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra (July & Sept. 1929)|year=1991|first=Sally-Ann|last=Worsfold|type=CD booklet|publisher=JSP Record|id=JSP CD 315|location=London}}</ref><ref name="jsp_322">{{cite AV media notes |title=Jelly Roll Morton Volume 4 |others=Jelly Roll Morton and His Orchestra (July & December 1929)|first=Michael|last=Bowen|at=back cover|type=CD booklet|publisher=JSP Records|id=JSP CD 322 |location=London }}</ref>}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singleton, Zutty}}
[[Category:1898 births]]
[[Category:1975 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Bunkie, Louisiana]]
[[Category:Burials at Long Island National Cemetery]]
[[Category:20th-century American drummers]]
[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:African-American drummers]]
[[Category:American jazz drummers]]
[[Category:American male drummers]]
[[Category:Dixieland jazz musicians]]
[[Category:American male jazz musicians]]
[[Category:Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five members]]
[[Category:Tuxedo Brass Band members]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American musicians]]
[[Category:Drummers from Louisiana]]