Dewells "Dee" Barton Jr. (September 18, 1937 — December 3, 2001) was an American jazz trombonist, big band drummer, and prolific composer for big band and motion pictures.[1] He is best known for his association with the Stan Kenton Orchestra.
Dee Barton was born in Houston, Mississippi, in 1937. The family moved to Starkville, Mississippi, in 1941. His father became the band director at Starkville High School. "My dad brought home an old E flat mellophone and at the age of three I figured out the fingerings on it," said Barton.[2] Barton later took up the trombone. He practiced in the school band room for 10 hours a day, and was able to help when his father was ill. Barton was able to take over his father's work and teach all of his classes for two years to keep the Starkville High School job running.[2][3]
Barton early on had an ambition to join the Stan Kenton Orchestra. He first met Kenton backstage at a concert in 1953 when Barton was 15. "Stan was very strange in one sense," said Barton. "He never forgot the name of anybody I ever saw him meet. I didn't see him until two years later when I'd grown some. So I was surprised when he called me by name."[2]
Determined then to get away from Mississippi, Barton went on the road in 1956 with Ralph Marterie's big band. "He was not a kind man, and it was a most unpleasant experience that almost turned me against the road altogether."[2] He left the band in New York three weeks later and replaced an absent trombonist in the Maynard Ferguson Big Band. He also worked with the Charlie Spivak band during that time.[2]
While Barton was attending school, Stan Kenton came to teach at a music clinic at North Texas State University in August 1959. Kenton became very familiar with Barton's playing and writing abilities. In 1961, at the age of 23, Barton joined Kenton's orchestra in the trombone section. His compositions Waltz of the Prophets and Turtle Talk were recorded as part of Kenton's Grammy award-winning album Adventures in Jazz.[3] He served on three other major Capitol releases in the trombone section. Barton also acted as a substitute for Kenton's drummer on occasion and in June 1962 he gave up a trombone chair and became the band's drummer recording on Adventures in Time in September 1962, as well as four subsequent Kenton releases.[2] He eventually left the band in late 1963 to pursue a wider music career in Los Angeles. He returned for short tours in 1967 worked with Kenton as drummer and arranger on the album The World We Know and Finian's Rainbow (1968).[3] The highlight of Barton's tenure with Kenton came on the Capitol release Stan Kenton Conducts the Jazz Compositions of Dee Barton where he is showcased as both composer and drummer.[2][3]
In 1973 Barton moved to Memphis TN to become musical director for the William B. Tanner Company (recording studio, media, jingle writing). He worked there until 1988 when he left to work independently and teach seminars at schools. His 1996 album, The Dallas Jazz Orchestra Plays Dee Barton, was nominated for a Grammy. He continued for live music performances and in films mainly with London Symphony Orchestra and in Europe.[2]
In 1998 Barton moved to Brandon, Mississippi, and he became composer in residence at Jackson State University.[3] "I teach orchestration, composition and advanced theory. Working with kids is what I really enjoy. They're hungry for somebody that has done it, rather than somebody that has gone to school all their life."[2]
Personal lifeedit
Barton's first marriage was to Jeri Catheryne Robinson. They had two sons, DeWells Barton III (b. 29 September 29, 1959, Collin County, Texas) and Shannon Barton (b. October 14, 1962, Los Angeles, California). He has three grandchildren, DeWells Barton III's children: Cole Barton (b. October 18, 1999 Los Angeles, California) and Haley Barton (b. February 1, 2002 Denton, Texas), and Shannon Barton's child: Jake Barton (b. 1997 Los Angeles, California) His second wife was Jane E. Earl (married August 15, 1965 Los Angeles – divorced, September 1969, Los Angeles). Dee's brother, William D. "Bill" Barton, was a trombonist, pianist, arranger and band leader. He died December 8, 2007.[4] Barton died in Brandon, Mississippi, on December 3, 2001, at the age of 64.[3]
Mark Masters' Jazz Composers Orchestra, Early StartOCLC 15862352
Recorded in Hollywood, California, January 17 and March 27, 1984
"Turtle talk" (performed)
Chicago Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, Live And Screamin', Chicago Lakeside Jazz (1998) OCLC 57443657
Recorded live at FitzGerald's Night Club, Chicago, Illinois, November 1997
"Here's that rainy day" (performed)
External linksedit
Read interview with Dee Barton and complete biography, see photos, and hear music written by him at http://mswritersandmusicians.com/musicians/dee-barton.html Archived 2010-10-10 at the Wayback Machine
^Harris M Lentz III, Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2001: Film, Television, Radio,McFarland & Company (2002) OCLC 320371571 ISBN 9780786452064 ISBN 0786452064
^ abcdefghijklVoce, Steve. The Independent. Dee Barton, obit. Saturday 22 December 2001 01:00
^ abcdefgCuscuna, Michael. The Jazz Compositions of Dee Barton. CD Liner noters. 2007
^"Obituary, William D. "Bill" Barton, Starkville Daily News, December 14, 2007". Archived from the original on 2016-08-17. Retrieved 2009-12-21.