Thomas Benford (April 19, 1905 – March 24, 1994)[1][2][3] was an American jazz drummer.
[1][2] He and his older brother, tuba player Bill Benford, were both orphans who studied music at the Jenkins Orphanage in Charleston, South Carolina.
[4] He started playing in an orphanage band and continued with the drums for the next 60 years.
He also played with Duke Ellington, Fats Waller and Eddie South.
[4][6] From 1932 till 1941 Benford lived in Europe, where in 1937 he participated in one of the most memorable recording sessions ever in Paris, with Coleman Hawkins, Benny Carter, Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli.