Skeeter Best

Clifton "Skeeter" Best (November 20, 1914 – May 27, 1985) was an American jazz guitarist.

Best played in Philadelphia from 1935 to 1940, recording with Slim Marshall and Erskine Hawkins. In 1940 he joined Earl Hines's orchestra, playing with him until he joined the U.S. Navy in 1942. After the war he played with Bill Johnson from 1945 to 1949. He toured East Asia with Oscar Pettiford in 1951 and 1952, and formed his own trio in the 1950s. He did a critically acclaimed session with Ray Charles and Milt Jackson in 1957 called Soul Brothers. In 1958 he recorded with Mercer Ellington. He also recorded with Harry Belafonte, Etta Jones, Nellie Lutcher, Milt Hinton, Osie Johnson, Paul Quinichette, Jimmy Rushing, Sonny Stitt, Lucky Thompson and Sir Charles Thompson. Later in his life he taught in New York City.

Best died in 1985 after a long illness.

Discography

With Milt Jackson

• Ballads & Blues (Atlantic, 1956)

With Ike Quebec

• The Complete Blue Note 45 Sessions (Blue Note, 1959)

References

• Skeeter Best at Allmusic
• New York Times Obituary