[2] He played in several New York City bands in the 1920s and 1930s, including those led by Lloyd Scott, Charlie "Fess" Johnson, Chick Webb, Benny Carter, Sam Wooding, and Lucky Millinder.
He accompanied Bessie Smith on her final recordings (November 24, 1933), Maxine Sullivan on '"Loch Lomond", and Billie Holiday on her original "Strange Fruit" session in 1939.
Three sessions in 1937 were produced by Helen Oakley Dance for Irving Mills's Variety label.
[6] He also played with Art Tatum on extended versions of "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "Oh, Lady Be Good!
[9] In homage, the communist historian Eric Hobsbawn wrote jazz criticism for the New Statesman under the pen name "Francis Newton".