Gene Barge
This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2025) |
Gene Barge | |
---|---|
Birth name | James Gene Barge Jr. |
Also known as | Daddy G.[1] |
Born | Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. | August 9, 1926
Died | February 2, 2025 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | (aged 98)
Genres | Rhythm and blues, rock and roll |
Occupations |
|
Instrument(s) | Tenor saxophone, alto saxophone |
Labels |
|
Formerly of | The Church Street Five |
James Gene Barge Jr. (August 9, 1926 – February 2, 2025) was an American tenor and alto saxophonist in several bands in addition to being a composer.[2][3]
Career
[edit]Born in Norfolk, Virginia on August 9, 1926, he was a founding member of the 1960s band The Church Street Five, which recorded for the locally based label, Legrand Records. Frank Guida owned Legrand Records.[4] The band included Gene Barge (sax), Ron "Junior" Farley (bass), Willie Burnell (piano), Leonard Barks (trombone), and Emmet Shields (drums).
In 1961, The Dovells were number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 with a song called "Bristol Stomp", which refers to Bristol, Pennsylvania east of Philadelphia. The song contains the line "We ponied and twisted and we rocked with Daddy G". Since Gene Barge had earlier co-written "A Night With Daddy 'G' - Part 1" and "A Night With Daddy 'G' - Part 2" (Legrand LEG 1004), many applied the pseudonym 'Daddy G' to him. It is not known whether the 'Daddy G' of that 1961 song lyric was intended to be Gene Barge or Bishop 'Daddy' Grace, a Norfolk, evangelist, whose church address was the inspiration for the naming of the group.
The lyrics to Gary U.S. Bonds' 1961 hit on Legrand, "Quarter To Three", which were added to the original Church Street Five instrumental, mention the Church Street Five and Daddy G. It has the lyrics "With the help last night, of Daddy G" and the exhortation "Blow, Daddy!" Barge moved from Virginia to Chicago in the early 1960s to widen his music and acting careers. He worked with Chess Records during the 1960s, playing on recording sessions and providing arrangements along with production work. In the 1970s, he continued to produce as well as arrange records, including work on Natalie Cole's early hits. He toured and played with such notables as Fats Domino, Bo Diddley, Big Joe Turner, LaVern Baker, Ray Charles, Chuck Willis, the Rolling Stones, Gary U.S. Bonds, and Natalie Cole; and he had roles in major movies starring Gene Hackman, Chuck Norris, Harrison Ford, and Steven Seagal. Barge toured under the pseudonym 'Daddy G.'[1] He also acted in a handful of films, including Under Siege and The Fugitive.[5]
Barge died at his home in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago, on February 2, 2025. He was 98.[6][7]
Discography
[edit]![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2013) |
With Bo Diddley
- The London Bo Diddley Sessions (Chess, 1973)
With Jack McDuff
- Gin and Orange (Cadet, 1969)
With Malachi Thompson
- Blue Jazz (Delmark, 2003) with Gary Bartz and Billy Harper
With Muddy Waters
- Muddy, Brass & the Blues (Chess, 1966)
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Gene Barge - Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-02-28.
- ^ "Church Street Five". AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-02-28.
- ^ Krakow, Steve (Apr 22, 2021). "Saxophonist Gene Barge helped shape the sound of Chicago R&B". Chicago Reader. Retrieved Aug 1, 2024.
- ^ "Gene Barge". Rockabilly.nl. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
- ^ "Gene Barge". IMDb.com. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
- ^ Dudek, Mitch (3 February 2025). "Legendary saxophone player Gene 'Daddy G' Barge dies at 98". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on 4 February 2025. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
- ^ Friskics-Warren, Bill (February 5, 2025). "Gene Barge, R&B Saxophonist Who Played on Landmark Hits, Dies at 98". Nytimes.com. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
- ^ "Gene Barge - Dance With Daddy "G"". Discogs.com. 1965. Retrieved 2015-11-03.
Sources
[edit]- The History Makers Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
External links
[edit]- Gene Barge at IMDb
- Gene Barge discography at Discogs