Clarence Leonard Hayes (November 14, 1908 – March 13, 1972)[1] was an American jazz vocalist and banjo player. His regular banjo was a six string one, which is tuned as a guitar.

Early life

Hayes was born in Caney, Kansas, on November 14, 1908.[2] As a child, he learned the drums, then switched to guitar and banjo.[2]

Later life and career

Hayes was part of a vaudeville troupe in the Midwest after 1923, and lived in San Francisco from 1927.[2] He became more popular in the 1930s through radio and club performances.[2] From 1938 to 1940 he played in a big band led by Lu Watters, after which he spent a decade with the Yerba Buena Jazz Band, playing rhythm banjo and, on occasion, drums.[3] He spent almost all of the 1950s singing with Bob Scobey's band.[3]

In the 1960s he led his own bands, which also recorded for various labels.[3] He also played with the Firehouse Five Plus Two, Turk Murphy, and a group that evolved into the World's Greatest Jazz Band.[3] As a vocalist, "Hayes was noted for his straightforward singing of ballads and his flamboyant delivery of livelier songs."[2] He died in San Francisco on March 13, 1972.[2]

Discography

With Bob Scobey

References

  1. ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 1110. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Koch, Lawrence (2003). "Hayes, Clancy [Clarence Leonard]". Grove Music Online. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.J194600.
  3. ^ a b c d Yanow, Scott. "Clancy Hayes". AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2020.

External links

Authority control databases
Categories