Eddie Durham
| Eddie Durham | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Edward Durham |
| Born | August 19, 1906 San Marcos, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | March 6, 1987 (aged 80) New York City |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, arranger |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, trombone |
| Years active | 1920s–1980s |
| Labels | RCA |
Edward Durham (August 19, 1906 – March 6, 1987) was an American jazz guitarist, trombonist, composer, and arranger. He was one of the pioneers of the electric guitar in jazz. The orchestras of Bennie Moten, Jimmie Lunceford, Count Basie, and Glenn Miller took great benefit from his composing and arranging skill.
With Edgar Battle he composed "Topsy", which was recorded by Count Basie and became a hit for Benny Goodman.
In 1938, Durham wrote "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire" with Bennie Benjamin, Sol Marcus, and Eddie Seiler. During the 1940s, Durham created Eddie Durham's All-Star Girl Orchestra, an African-American all female swing band that toured the United States and Canada.