MC 006
Guide to the Tommy Benford Collection, 1937-1992
By Erika Gorder
Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University Libraries
Finding aid encoded in EAD, version 2002 by Tad Hershorn, Robert Nahory and Caryn Radick January 2012
Descriptive Summary
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Tommy Benford (1905-1994)
The Tommy Benford Collection
1937-1992
2 boxes, 1 linear foot
The Tommy Benford Collection (1937-1992) consists of one linear foot
of personal papers housed in two archival boxes (one document box and
one flat photograph box). Included are letters to Benford, manuscript
notes, ephemera, broadsides, clippings, travel memorabilia, and
photographs. Benford's drum set has been added to IJS's artifact
collection and housed in the Rare Items Room.
MC 006
English
Rutgers University Libraries, Institute of Jazz Studies
Biographical Sketch of Tommy Benford
Thomas Phoenix (Tommy) Benford (b. April 19, 1905, d. March 24, 1994) a prolific jazz
drummer from the 1920s through the 1980s, was born in Charleston, West Virginia in 1905.
With his brother, the noted tuba player Bill Benford, Benford received his musical
education at the notorious Jenkins' Orphanage in Charleston, South Carolina, where
trumpeter Jabbo Smith also learned his craft. His musical career and penchant for traveling
abroad began when the Jenkins' Orphanage band toured England in 1914. The tour was
curtailed, however, because of the outbreak of war on the continent. Benford escaped from
the orphanage twice with his brother, the second time successfully. It was then, ca. 1920,
that Benford joined a minstrel show in Virginia, The Green River Minstrels. Soon
thereafter, Benford traveled with a patent medicine man and with various entertainment
shows, circuses, and carnivals. Several years later he moved to New York. A prolific
sideman, Benford began playing in orchestras including the Marie Lucas Orchestra, which
went on to Washington, D.C. in the early twenties.
Among the many artists, musicians, and composers Benford worked with were Charlie
Skeete; Jelly Roll Morton, contributing to Kansas City Stomp and Shreveport, both 1928;
Bill Benford (ca. 1928); Edgar Hayes; Sy Devereaux (1932); Fats Waller; Coleman
Hawkins (1937); Benny Carter (1937); Eddie Brunner; Bill Coleman; Eddie South (1938);
Joe Turner; George Johnson, St. Tropez, France (1938); and Willie Lewis (1938,1941).
After his return to the United States Benford toured various military posts (1941-1943), and
worked with Noble Sissle (1943), Snub Mosely (1946-1948), Bob Wilbur (1948-49),
Jimmy Archey (1950-1952). During the 1950s Benford was a freelance musician, toured
Europe again in 1960-61 with the Jazz Train Revue by Eddie Barefield, and worked
extensively with Clyde Berhnardt's Harlem Blues and Jazz Band (1973-9, 1981), and with
Bob Greenes World of Jelly Roll Morton (1973-74, 1982).
Benford's career brought him to Europe in the 1930s during a period when jazz and its
musicians were very well received overseas. He opened at Chez Florence in Paris, recorded
with Coleman Hawkins, Django Reinhardt, and Stephane Grappelli, played at the avantgarde club Boeuf Sur La Toit, and played in George Johnson's Orchestra in St. Tropez on
the French Riviera (1938). Benford was with Willie Lewis when war broke out in Europe in
1939. He made his way to Switzerland, then Spain and Portugal, playing all the way. He
came back to the U.S. on the Exeter with his son, Tommy Jr., in October 1941 and moved
in with his sister in New York. During his time in Europe, Benford married his first wife,
Sophia Mezzaro, a dancer, singer, and pianist from Vienna. She died in Paris giving birth to
his oldest son, Tommy Jr. in 1939. Benford married his second wife, Dorothy, in 1952 and
had three children with her.
Much of Benford's life was spent "traveling"—geographically, or between bands and
orchestras. One thing is certain, according to Benford, who once said, "I already knew it
didn't matter where I was. When I'm behind my drums, I'm home."
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Scope and Content Note
The Tommy Benford Collection (1937-1992) consists of one linear foot of personal papers
housed in two archival boxes. Included at the beginning of the collection are two folders,
one containing biographical information such as publicity releases and a list of bands
Tommy played in, and the other containing removal notices.
Within the series the materials are arranged by subject. The bulk of the collection, however,
is the photograph series which is not only the most sizable but also the most comprehensive
documentation of Benford's long career—this series stands out both physically and
topically. The photographs are divided into several parts: items in Box 1 are slightly
oversized and photographs regarding Bob Greene's World of Jelly Roll Morton have been
kept in that series in order to form a comprehensive intellectual focus.
The papers document Benford's diverse professional experience, however, records of his
early years (pre-1937) are lacking. The following inventory describes the collection to the
folder level and, in some cases, to the item level.
Tommy Benford's drum kit is also included in this collection (see Appendix A).
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Arrangement Note
The Tommy Benford Collection is divided into six series:
Series 1: Letters and Manuscripts, 1959-1992 and undated
Series 2: Ephemera, circa 1950s-1980s
Series 3: Clippings, 1938-1980
Series 4: Travel, 1937-circa 1988
Series 5: Bob Greene's World of Jelly Roll Morton, 1974-1982
Series 6: Photographs, 1938-1980s
Appendix A: Drum Kit Items
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Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
The Tommy Benford Collection (MC-006), Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University
Libraries.
Acquisition Note
The Tommy Benford Collection and drum set were donated to the Institute of Jazz Studies
by his widow, Mrs. Dorothy Benford in May of 1994.
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Detailed Description/Container List
This section provides descriptions of the materials found within each series. Each series
description is followed by a container list, which gives the titles of the folders and their
locations in the numbered boxes that comprise this collection.
Series 1: Letters and Manuscripts, 1959-1992 and undated
ARRANGEMENT:Includes a folder of biographical information, letters sent to
Benford, postcards, correspondence from Universities, greeting cards,
handwritten notes on newsletters and scraps of paper. The letters and
manuscript series while covering the years 1959-1992 are not comprehensive
or complete. Of particular note, however are the miscellaneous items, one an
oral history transcript of Tommy Benford conducted by an English Professor
from the University of South Carolina and an undocumented
script/screenplay which was undoubtedly mailed to Benford for review or
consideration.
Box Folder
1
1
Biographical Information.
2
Removal Notes and photocopies.
3
Letters: TL re: Jenkins Orphanage; TLS Christa de Siati (German/Swiss); Bob
Greene, 1983; TLS Arthur Briggs, 1959-1992 and undated
4
Letters: Notes and Cards: including Photo-postcard of Kenny Davern, 1966; 2
issues of Offbeat Jazz, with notes from Wilma Dobie, 1966-1982 and undated
5
Correspondence: Universities, 1976-88
6
Manuscript Notes and Miscellaneous Writings, undated
7
Script: "Sunshine's on the Way," by W.W. Lewis, 1980
Series 2: Ephemera, circa 1950s-1980s
ARRANGEMENT: This series consists primarily of programs and broadsides
documenting a variety of clubs and musical events in Benford's life. The most
complete set of broadsides concern the Savoy Cafe in Boston ca. 1950s.
Some unique and rare ephemera is included in the Travel series.
Box Folder
1
8
General, circa 1950s-1980s
9
10
Programs and Broadsides: Yale University map; advertisements; International
Jazz Federation; Town Hall Program, ca. 1951; Brooklyn Academy of Music;
Jimmy Archey and His Riverboat Five broadside; Milt Hinton bio-card, , undated
Programs and Broadsides: Savoy Cafe, Boston, circa 1950s
Series 3: Clippings, 1938-1980
ARRANGEMENT: Includes two subdivisions: Tommy Benford-related
clippings which cover the period 1950-1980, and Other Artists and Topics
clippings from 1938-1980.
Box Folder
1
11
Clippings: Tommy Benford, circa 1950s-1980s
12
Clippings: Other Artists/Topics, circa 1938-1988
Series 4: Travel, 1937-circa 1988
ARRANGEMENT: The travel series is subdivided into two subseries: Travel
Abroad and U.S. Travel Diaries. The first subseries includes programs,
broadsides, legal documents, passports, diaries and other ephemera, and
documents a significant aspect of Benford's life and career—touring.
The U.S. travel diaries consist of two small volumes in which Benford
entered brief chronological notes that include details such as travel times,
destinations, resting dates, recording and practice dates. One photograph
showing Benford and band with military personnel was inserted in one diary
and has been retained there.
Box Folder
1
13
Travel Abroad: France—Le Hot Club Programs and Broadsides, 1937-1938
14
Travel Abroad: Zurich—New Jazz Club Programs, 1960
15
Travel Abroad: Zurich—Ephemera: Maps, directories, pamphlet for The
Madrigal Bar, circa 1952
16
Travel Abroad: Ephemera, undated
17
Travel Abroad: Legal Documents, 1959-1960
18
Travel Abroad: Passports, undated
19
Travel Diaries: United States, 1941-1943
Series 5: Bob Greene's World of Jelly Roll Morton, 1974-1982
ARRANGEMENT: Documents the activities of the band between 1974 and
1982 through programs, clippings, tour schedules and itineraries, travel
receipts, and photographs.
Box Folder
1
20
Lincoln Center Program, February 1974
21
Programs, 1973-1978
22
Clippings, 1976-1980
23
Latin America Tour, 1981
24
UK Tour Schedule, 1982
25
26
Travel Documents and Receipts, 1978-1979; 1981-1982
Photographs, undated
Series 6: Photographs, 1938-1980s
ARRANGEMENT: The most extensive portion of the collection, this series
consists of 8x10 black and white prints, small black and white snapshots,
studio prints (publicity), color snapshots, and some novelty photographs
mounted in a commemorative folder taken at Jimmy Ryan's. Subjects of the
photographs include: Tommy Benford with others and playing; group and
family shots with Benford, friends and family; Clarence Robinson; European
tours; Jimmy Archey and Orchestra with Pops Foster and Dick Wellstood and
others; Bob Pilsbury and the Fog Cutters; Harlem Blues and Jazz Band;
Sandy Berman's Jazz Revival; and miscellaneous performances.
Box Folder
1
27
Memorabilia and Photographs: Jimmy Ryan's (Jimmy Archey and Band), circa
1950s
28
Benford's Drum Kit Photos, 8 items (see Appendix A) for information on the
physical drum kit items in the IJS archive), undated
29
Clarence Robinson, signed, undated
30
Harlem Blues and Jazz Band, undated
31
Photocopies and Miscellaneous, undated
Box Folder
2
1
Kenny Davern, Kid Howard, Snub Mosely, Edith Piaf, and Bob Wilbur (all
signed); John Fields, Dick Wellstood (Otto Hess photo), Bob Wilbur and Pub
Horton; Doc Cheatham and others, undated
2
Arthur Briggs, Herb Flemming, Brian Ch?, Louis Nelson, Jay McShann and Ben
Hynard, Jay McShann; Doc Cheatham card (signed); Billy and Louise Yates
"The Words,"; Carmen Romero, "South American Night Club" Rotterdam,
Holland, undated
3
Ada Brown and Frankie Newton (both signed); Eddie South, ca. 1937; Prince
Spincer, 1937, undated
4
Tommy Benford Jr. and unidentified people in Zurich, 1941
5
Benford with others: Milt Hinton, Happy Caldwell, Buck Clayton, undated
6
Benford playing, solo and with others: Bobby Gordon and Dick Wellstood; and
w/ June Celes, Jack Fine, Freddy Groom, undated
7
Benford playing solo and with others: John Fields; Wild Bill, Davison undated
8
Groups with Benford: Snub Mosely; Marie Lucas Orchestra; and unidentified,
undated
9
Groups with Benford: Sidney Bechet; Edmond Hall; Noel Kalet (?) and Bill
Sinclair, undated
10
European tours, 1938-1941
11
Jimmy Archey and His Band, ca. 1950-1952
Box
OS 1
12
13
14
15
16
Folder
Bob Pilsbury and the Fog Cutters, undated
Harlem Blues and Jazz Band, undated
Harlem Blues and Jazz Band, undated
Performances, undated
Sandy Berman's Jazz Revival, undated
Record booklet, with Benford notes from Jazz Odyssey; pamphlet: "Straight
System of Modern Drumming," 1923; Arrangements/parts: "Drums Anyone," for
drums (by Benford ?), piano, tpt, clar, bone, bass; Travel Abroad: HollandAmerica Cruise activities programs, 1960; Songlist (mss.,n.d.). undated
Appendix A: Artifacts
Benford's drum set has been added to IJS's artifact collection. It includes:
Black oyster frames:
1 floor tom
1 bass drum (with "TB" and red chili pepper decal on front)
1 rack tom (with Remo banjo head made out of coated tin or aluminum)
1 ride cymbal
1 crash or splash cymbal
1 high hat
Hardware:
cymbal stands
bass drum pedal
high hat pedal and stand
two drum thrones
six sets of sticks
mallets
brushes
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