“Freddy Guy  was born in Georgia, but he had been in New York most of his life when he joined us in 1925, and he knew Harlem backwards and forwards. He was rather a serious type of fellow, and was always giving us advice, but his guitar was a metronome and the beat was always where it was supposed to be. He was a good man at managing finances, too. Herman Stark, the manager of the Cotton Club, used to say to me, “You are going to be a very famous star, but Freddy Guy is going to wind up with the money.””

-Duke Ellington, Music Is My Mistress

Fred Guy and Duke Ellington, 1925

Fred Guy, 1946

Fred Guy’s Autograph (from eBay)

Fred Guy played and endorsed Levin, a Swedish guitar brand

 The Atlanta Constitution, Thursday, 25 November 1971

The recordings heard on this podcast episode:

Rainy Nights (CD: 1924-1926: Birth of a Band, Vol. 1 EPM #HS151042)

Recorded November, 1924 New York City

Bubber Miley  – trumpets; Charlie Irvis – trombone; Otto Hardwicke – alto sax; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – banjo; Sonny Greer – drums.

Echoes of the Jungle (CD: Highlights from the Duke Ellington Centennial Edition (1927-1973) RCA Victor 09026636722)

Recorded 16 June 1931, Camden, New Jersey

Arthur Whetsel, Cootie Williams, Freddie Jenkins – trumpet; Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – banjo; Wellman Braud – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

The Sergeant Was Shy (CD: “The Complete 1932-1940 Brunswick, Columbia and Master Recordings of Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra” Mosaic Records #248)

Recorded 28 August 1939, Boston

Wallace Jones, Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol – trombone; Barney Bigard, Johnny Hodges, Otto Hardwicke, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Billy Taylor – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

Warm Valley (CD: “Duke Ellington: Stereo Reflections In Ellington” Natasha Imports ‎– NI-4016)

Recorded 31 July 1940, Detroit

Wallace Jones, Cootie Williams, Rex Stewart – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Juan Tizol – trombone; Barney Bigard, Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges, Otto Hardwicke, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Billy Taylor – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

Caravan (CD: “Black, Brown & Beige” Bluebird 6641-2-RB)

Recorded 11 May 1945, New York City

Shelton Hemphill, Taft Jordan, Cat Anderson, Ray Nance, Rex Stewart – trumpet; Lawrence Brown, Joe Nanton, Claude Jones – trombone; Jimmy Hamilton, Otto Hardwicke, Johnny Hodges, Al Sears, Harry Carney – reeds; Duke Ellington – piano; Fred Guy – guitar; Junior Raglin – bass; Sonny Greer – drums.

— Our closing music —-

It’s Something You Ought To Know (Paul Gonsalves – “Ellingtonia Moods and Blues,” RCA Victor / RCA63562)

Recorded 29 February 1960, New York City

Paul Gonsalves- tenor sax; Johnny Hodges – alto sax; Ray Nance – cornet; Mitchell “Booty” Wood – trombone; Jimmy Jones – piano; Al Hall – bass; Oliver Jackson – drums.