Milton Brent Buckner was born inSt. Louis,Missouri.[2] His parents encouraged him to learn to play piano, but they both died when he was nine years old. Milt and his younger brother Ted were sent to Detroit where they were adopted by members of the Earl Walton band:[3] trombonist John Tobias, drummer George Robinson fostered Milt and reedplayer Fred Kewley (né Fred Cecil Kewley; 1889–1953) fostered Ted.[5] Buckner studied piano for three years from the age 10, then at 15 began writing arrangements for the band, he and his brother going on to become active in the Detroit jazz world in the 1930s.[5]
Buckner first played in Detroit with theMcKinney's Cotton Pickers[2] and then withCab Calloway. In 1941, he joinedLionel Hampton's big band, and for the next seven years served as its pianist and staff arranger.[4] Buckner was part of a Variety Revue of 1950 organized by Lionel Hampton at the Cavalcade of Jazz concert held atWrigley Field in Los Angeles which was produced byLeon Hefflin, Sr. on June 25, 1950.[6] He led a short-lived big band of his own for two years,[2] but then returned to Hampton's in 1950.[4] In 1952, he formed his own trio and pioneered the use of the electric Hammond organ.[4] He often played in Europe in the late 1960s. His last studio session took place in Paris on July 4, 1977.[3] Milt Buckner is also known for the use of his song "The Beast" in the filmMulholland Drive and in the title menu of the video gameBattlefield: Bad Company.
Buckner died of a heart attack in July 1977, inChicago,Illinois, at the age of 62.[3]
Milt Buckner Piano (Savoy MG-15023 [10" LP], 1953) – note: includes 6 of the 13 tracks Buckner's Beale Street Gang recorded for Savoy in 1946, 1947, 1948, and 1951.
Organ...Sweet 'N' Swing (Regent MG-6004, 1956) – note: a shared album with Bobby Banks, and Vin Strong; includes 4 of the 6 tracks Buckner's trio recorded for Scooter Records (a subsidiary ofRoost) in 1952: "By The River St. Marie", "Rollin' Strollin'", Take It Away", and "Russian Lullaby".
Rockin' with Milt (Capitol T-642, 1955; CD reissue: Jasmine JASCD-499, 2009)
Rockin' Hammond (Capitol T-722, 1956; CD reissue: Jasmine JASCD-499, 2009)
Send Me Softly (Capitol T-938, 1957; CD reissue: Solar [EU] 4569921, 2012)
Mighty High (Argo LPS-660, 1959; CD reissue: Solar [EU] 4569916, 2012)
Please, Mr. Organ Player (Argo LPS-670, 1960; CD reissue: Solar [EU] 4569921, 2012)
Midnight Mood (Argo LPS-702, 1961; CD reissue: Solar [EU] 4569916, 2012)
The New World of Milt Buckner (Bethlehem BCP-6072, 1963)
Play Chords (SABA 15110, 1966)
Them There Eyes (with Buddy Tate) (Black & Blue 33.013, 1967)
^Reed, Tom (1992).The Black music history of Los Angeles, its roots: 50 years in Black music: a classical pictorial history of Los Angeles Black music of the 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's: photographic essays that define the people, the artistry and their contributions to the wonderful world of entertainment (1st, limited ed.). Los Angeles: Black Accent on L.A. Press.ISBN0-9632908-6-X.OCLC28801394.
