James Gene Barge (born August 9, 1926) is an American tenor and alto saxophonist, composer in several bands, and actor.
Biography
Born in
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...
in August 1926, he was a founding member of the 1960s band The Church Street Five, which recorded for the locally based label, Legrand Records, operated by Frank Guida. The band included Gene Barge (sax), Ron "Junior" Farley (bass), Willie Burnell (piano), Leonard Barks (trombone), and Emmet Shields (drums).
In 1961, the Dovells reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 with a song called "
The Bristol Stomp
"Bristol Stomp" is a song written in 1961 by Kal Mann and Dave Appell, two executives with the Cameo-Parkway record label, for The Dovells, a doo-wop singing group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who recorded it for Cameo-Parkway late that year. ...
", which refers to Bristol, Pennsylvania, and includes the line "We ponied and twisted and we rocked with Daddy G". Since Gene Barge had earlier co-written "A Night With Daddy 'G' - Part 1" and "A Night With Daddy 'G' - Part 2" (Legrand LEG 1004), many applied the pseudonym 'Daddy G' to him. It is not known whether the 'Daddy G' of that 1961 song lyric was intended to be Gene Barge or Bishop 'Daddy' Grace, a Norfolk, Virginia evangelist, whose church address was the inspiration for the naming of the group.
The lyrics to
Gary U.S. Bonds
Gary U.S. Bonds (born Gary Levone Anderson, June 6, 1939) is an American rhythm and blues and rock and roll singer, known for his classic hits "New Orleans" and " Quarter to Three".
Career
Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Bonds lived in Norfolk, ...
' 1961 hit on Legrand, " Quarter To Three", which were added to the original Church Street Five instrumental, mentions the Church Street Five and Daddy G, and contains the lyrics "With the help last night, of Daddy G" and the exhortation "Blow, Daddy!"
Barge moved from Virginia to Chicago in the early 1960s to widen his music and acting careers. He worked with Chess Records during the 1960s, playing on recording sessions and providing arrangements along with some production work. In the 1970s, he continued to produce as well as arrange records, including Natalie Cole's early hits.
Barge has toured and played with such notables as Fats Domino, Bo Diddley,
Big Joe Turner
Joseph Vernon "Big Joe" Turner Jr. (May 18, 1911 – November 24, 1985) was an American singer from Kansas City, Missouri. According to songwriter Doc Pomus, "Rock and roll would have never happened without him." His greatest fame was due to ...
Gene Hackman
Eugene Allen Hackman (born January 30, 1930) is an American retired actor and former novelist. In a career that has spanned more than six decades, Hackman has won two Academy Awards, four Golden Globes, one Screen Actors Guild Award, two BAFTAs ...
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American actor. His films have grossed more than $5.4billion in North America and more than $9.3billion worldwide, making him the seventh-highest-grossing actor in North America. He is the recipient o ...
and Steven Seagal. He has also toured in recent years under the pseudonym 'Daddy G.'He currently sings and plays regularly in the Chicago area with "The Chicago R&B Kings", a band he records with and produces.
Barge has also acted in a handful of movies, including '' Under Siege'' and '' The Fugitive''.
The London Bo Diddley Sessions
''The London Bo Diddley Sessions'' is the 17th studio album by musician Bo Diddley recorded in 1973 and released on the Chess label.Jack McDuff
Eugene McDuff (September 17, 1926 – January 23, 2001), known professionally as "Brother" Jack McDuff or "Captain" Jack McDuff, was an American jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz era ...
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Gin and Orange
''Gin and Orange'' is a 1969 album by organist Brother Jack McDuff recorded both live and in the studio which was his third release on the Cadet label.Malachi Thompson
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Blue Jazz
''Blue Jazz'' is the final studio album by the American jazz trumpeter Malachi Thompson released by the Delmark label in 2003.Gary Bartz and Billy Harper
With Muddy Waters
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Muddy, Brass & the Blues
''Muddy, Brass & the Blues'', sometimes referred to as ''Brass and the Blues'', is an album by the blues musician Muddy Waters, released by Chess Records in 1966.