Buddy Burton & Fats Hudson

A talented if generally overlooked pianist, Buddy Burton also played organ, drums, and percussion, as well as kazoo. After freelancing both in and out of music, Burton moved from Louisville to Chicago in 1923. He recorded on drums (1923) and kazoo (1925) with Jelly Roll Morton, and in 1928 did the bulk of his recordings including as a soloist (both singing and playing piano), in piano duets with Jimmy Blythe; backing blues singers Tillie Johnson and Mae Mathews; and playing with the Dixie Four and the Harlem Trio. Other than two numbers in 1929, duets with pianist Bob Hudson in 1932, and accompanying singer Irene Sanders in 1936, little is known of Burton's later life; except that he probably remained active (although off records) in Chicago for decades, until returning to Louisville in 1965.