[1] A native of Robeson County, North Carolina, Galbreath got his start with local groups such as the Domino Five of Washington and Kelly's Jazz Hounds of Fayetteville.
He then found work with groups in other regions such as the Florida Blossoms minstrel show and the Kingston Nighthawks, a territory band.
In the middle of the 1930s, Galbreath moved to Chicago, where he played with Fletcher Henderson, Jelly Roll Morton, Edgar Hayes, and Willie Bryant.
Around 1937 Galbreath joined Lonnie Slappey's Swingers in Philadelphia, but was called back to New York by Lucky Millinder, with whom he played for some time.
After his discharge he worked in the second half of the decade with Luis Russell, Tab Smith, Billy Eckstine, and Sy Oliver, then returned to play with Millinder from 1948 to 1952.