He started playing trombone at age 17, and in the 1920s played with a variety of lesser-known ensembles,[2] such as Bill Eady's Ellwood Syncopators, Tillie Vennie, Odie Cromwell's Wolverine Syncopators, Charlie Grear's Original Midnite Ramblers, the Richard Cheatham Orchestra, the Whitman Sisters, Honey Brown's Orchestra, Henry P. McClane's Society Orchestra[3] and Ray Parker.
He worked with King Oliver in 1931, and through the middle of the decade did stints with Alex Hill, The Alabamians, Billy Fowler, Ira Coffey's Walkathonians, and Vernon Andrade.
[2] In 1937, he joined Edgar Hayes's orchestra, remaining there through 1942, then worked with Jay McShann, Cecil Scott, Luis Russell, Leonard Feather, Pete Johnson, Wynonie Harris, Claude Hopkins, and Paul and Dud Bascomb.
[2] Following this he led the Harlem Blues and Jazz Band between 1972 and 1979;[2] his sidemen included Doc Cheatham, Charlie Holmes, Happy Caldwell, Tommy Benford, and Miss Rhapsody.
Shortly before his death he published an autobiography co-written with Sheldon Harris entitled I Remember.