Fred Below | |
|---|---|
 Below in 1975 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Frederick Below Jr. |
| Born | (1926-09-06)September 6, 1926 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | August 13, 1988(1988-08-13) (aged 61) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | Blues |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Drums |
| Years active | 1940s–1980s |
Frederick Below Jr. (September 6, 1926 – August 13, 1988)[1] was an Americanblues drummer who worked withLittle Walter andChess Records in the 1950s. According to Tony Russell, Below was a creator of much of the rhythmic structure ofChicago blues, especially itsbackbeat.[2]He was the drummer on Chuck Berry's song "Johnny B. Goode".[3] He also recorded withJ. B. Lenoir.[4]
Below was born inChicago, and as he put it – "grew up around nothingbut music". He started learning music and playing drums in theDuSable High School[5] and at about the age of 14, formed a sort of ajazz band with two of his high school friends,Johnny Griffin andEugene Wright.
As a young man, Below served in the Army twice. The first time between 1945–1946, after beingconscripted into theUnited States Army, he served in the infantry ("I practiced on helmet liners, helmets, boxes and things like that").[6]
In 1946, when he was discharged from his service and came back home to Chicago, Below attended the reputableRoy C. Knapp School of Percussion,[7] from which he graduated in 1948, and in which he received a wide and thorough musical education.[8]
Below re-enlisted the army in 1948, this time as part of the Special Services, and he served in Germany as a member of the 427th Army band. After that second service, he stayed and played in a nightclub in Germany before returning to the United States in 1951.
Back in Chicago, Below joined theAces, a band comprising the guitar-playing brothers Louis and Dave Myers and the harmonica playerJunior Wells. In 1952,Little Walter left theMuddy Waters band to pursue a solo career, Wells took over his role on harp in the Muddy Waters band, and Walter commandeered the Aces (the Myers brothers and Below). As Little Walter and the Nightcats, they became one of the topelectric blues bands in Chicago.[9]
In 1955, Below left Little Walter's band to concentrate on working as a session musician for Chess Records.[2] However, he continued to play on Little Walter's records. He also played on hit records for Muddy Waters, Junior Wells,Chuck Berry,Bo Diddley,Jimmy Rogers,Elmore James,Otis Rush, andHowlin' Wolf.[2]
Below worked with bassistWillie Dixon, Little Walter, and guitaristRobert Lockwood, Jr. onJohn Brim's last single for Chess, "I Would Hate to See You Go" (1956).[10]
Among his more famous work, he played on Chuck Berry's 1957 hit single "School Days" as well as on other Berry recording including "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" (1956), "Roll Over Beethoven" (1956), "Too Much Monkey Business" (1956), thecalypso flavored, "Havana Moon" (1956), "Rock and Roll Music" (1957), "Sweet Little Sixteen" (1957), "Reelin' and Rockin'" (1957), "Guitar Boogie" (1957), "Memphis, Tennessee" (1958), "Sweet Little Rock and Roller" (1958), "Little Queenie" (1958), "Almost Grown" (1959), "Back in the U.S.A." (1959) and "Let It Rock" (1959).
Below rejoined the Myers brothers for a tour of Europe in 1970.[11]
Below died ofliver cancer on August 13, 1988, in Chicago, at the age of 61.[1]
| Artist | Song title | Date recorded | Highest position on US pop chart | Highest position on R&B chart | Miscellaneous |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muddy Waters | "I Just Want to Make Love to You" | April 13, 1954 | No. 4 | ||
| Muddy Waters | "I'm Your Hoochie Cooche Man" | 1954 | No. 3 | ||
| Muddy Waters | "I'm Ready" | September 1, 1954 | No. 4 | ||
| Little Walter | "Mellow Down Easy" | 1954 | |||
| Little Walter | "My Babe" | January 25, 1955 | No. 1 | ||
| Willie Dixon | "Walkin' the Blues" | 1955 | No. 6 | ||
| Howlin' Wolf | "Spoonful" | 1960 | |||
| Howlin' Wolf | "Wang Dang Doodle" | 1960 |
WithHowlin' Wolf
WithRoosevelt Sykes
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
