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Chris Barber

English trombonist (1930-2021) · United Kingdom · On the map · Musicians · Died at 90

Donald Christopher Barber was an English jazz musician, best known as a bandleader and trombonist. He helped many musicians with their careers and had a UK top twenty trad jazz hit with "Petite Fleur" in 1959.

Chris Barber is read about 85 times a day, in 21 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 6 November 2026

The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 104 days, one point a day.

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Media & music

Awards

Officer of the Order of the British Empire1991
Honorary Citizen of New Orleans1959

About this person

These musicians included the blues singer Ottilie Patterson, who was at one time his wife, and Lonnie Donegan, whose appearances with Barber triggered the skiffle craze of the mid-1950s and who had his first transatlantic hit, "Rock Island Line", while with Barber's band. He provided an audience for Donegan and, later, Alexis Korner, and sponsored African-American blues musicians to visit Britain, making Barber a significant figure in launching the British rhythm and blues and "beat boom" of the 1960s.

Country
United Kingdom
Category
Musicians
Type
Singer / Musician
Status
Deceased
Dates
Lived 1930 to 2021 · aged 90

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