Sam Woodyard (January 7, 1925 – September 20, 1988) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

drummer. He was born in Elizabeth,

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

, United States. Woodyard was largely an autodidact on drums and played locally in the Newark, New Jersey, area in the 1940s. He performed with Paul Gayten in an R&B group, then played in the early 1950s with Joe Holiday,

Roy Eldridge David Roy Eldridge (January 30, 1911 – February 26, 1989), nicknamed "Little Jazz", was an American jazz trumpeter. His sophisticated use of harmony, including the use of tritone substitutions, his virtuosic solos exhibiting a departure from ...

, and Milt Buckner. In 1955, he joined

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...

's orchestra and remained until 1966. After his time with Ellington, Woodyard worked with

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April25, 1917June15, 1996) was an American singer, songwriter and composer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phra ...

, then moved to Los Angeles. In the 1970s, he played less due to health problems, but he recorded with Buddy Rich, and toured with Claude Bolling. In 1983, he belonged to a band with

Teddy Wilson Theodore Shaw Wilson (November 24, 1912 – July 31, 1986) was an American jazz pianist. Described by critic Scott Yanow as "the definitive Swing music, swing pianist", Wilson's piano style was gentle, elegant, and virtuosic. His style was high ...

, Buddy Tate, and Slam Stewart. His last recording was on Steve Lacy's 1988 album, '' The Door''. He died of cancer in Paris at the age of 63.

Discography

With Cat Anderson * ''Plays at 4 a.m.'' (Columbia, 1958) * ''Ellingtonia'' (Wynne, 1959) * ''A Chat with Cat Anderson'' (Columbia, 1963) With

* ''At Newport'' (Columbia, 1956) * ''Duke Ellington Presents...'' (Bethlehem, 1956) * ''A Drum Is a Woman'' (Columbia, 1957) * ''Ellington at Newport'' (Columbia, 1957) * ''Such Sweet Thunder'' (Columbia, 1957) * ''The Cosmic Scene'' (Columbia, 1958) * ''Newport 1958'' (Columbia, 1958) * ''Ellington Indigos'' (Columbia, 1958) * ''Black, Brown and Beige'' (Columbia, 1958) * ''Ellington Jazz Party'' (Columbia, 1959) * ''Festival Session'' (Columbia, 1959) * ''Solitude'' (Philips, 1960) * ''The Nutcracker Suite'' (Columbia, 1960) * ''Piano in the Background'' (Columbia, 1960) * ''Piano in the Foreground'' (Columbia, 1963) * ''The Symphonic Ellington'' (Reprise, 1963) * ''Afro-Bossa'' (Reprise, 1963) * ''Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins'' (Impulse!, 1963) * ''Duke Ellington & John Coltrane'' (Impulse!, 1963) * ''Duke Ellington & Django Reinhardt'' (Amiga, 1963) * ''Ellington '65'' (Reprise, 1964) * ''The Popular Duke Ellington'' (RCA Victor 1966) * ''Duke Ellington at the Cote d'Azur'' (Verve, 1967) * ''"...And His Mother Called Him Bill"'' (RCA, 1968) * ''Second Sacred Concert'' (Fantasy, 1968) * ''Francis A. & Edward K.'' (Reprise, 1968) * ''First Time! The Count Meets the Duke'' (Columbia, 1971) * ''The Great Paris Concert'' (Atlantic, 1973) * ''Yale Concert'' (Fantasy, 1973) * ''Jazz at the Plaza Vol. II'' (Columbia, 1973) * ''The Pianist'' (Fantasy, 1974) * ''The Duke Lives On'' (Midi, 1974) * ''Duke Ellington's Jazz Violin Session'' (Atlantic, 1976) * ''

All Star Road Band ''All Star Road Band'' is a live album by American pianist, composer and bandleader Duke Ellington recorded at Sunset Ballroom in Carrolltown, Pennsylvania for radio broadcast and first released as a double LP on Bob Thiele's Doctor Jazz label ...

'' (Doctor Jazz, 1983) * '' All Star Road Band Volume 2'' (Doctor Jazz, 1985) * '' Hot Summer Dance'' (Red Baron, 1991) With

Johnny Hodges Johnny Hodges (July 25, 1907 – May 11, 1970) was an American alto saxophone, alto saxophonist, best known for solo work with Duke Ellington's big band. He played lead alto in the saxophone section for many years. Hodges was also featured on sop ...

* '' Ellingtonia '56'' (Norgran, 1956) * '' Duke's in Bed'' (Verve, 1956) * '' The Big Sound'' (Verve, 1957) * '' Blues-a-Plenty'' (Verve, 1958) * '' Not So Dukish'' (Verve, 1958) * ''

Johnny Hodges with Billy Strayhorn and the Orchestra __NOTOC__ ''Johnny Hodges with Billy Strayhorn and the Orchestra'' is a 1962 studio album by Johnny Hodges accompanied by an orchestra arranged by Billy Strayhorn. The album features many members of Duke Ellington's orchestra. The album was reis ...

'' (Verve, 1962) * '' Swing's Our Thing'' with

Earl Hines Earl Kenneth Hines, also known as Earl "Fatha" Hines (December 28, 1903 – April 22, 1983), was an American jazz pianist and bandleader. He was one of the most influential figures in the development of jazz piano and, according to one source, " ...

(Verve, 1968) * ''Ellingtonia!'' (Onyx, 1974) * ''At the Sportpalast Berlin'' (Pablo, 1978) With others * Alice Babs, ''Serenade to Sweden'' (Telestar, 1966) *

Harry Carney Harry Howell Carney (April 1, 1910 – October 8, 1974) was a jazz saxophonist and clarinettist who spent over four decades as a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. He played a variety of instruments, but primarily used the baritone saxophon ...

, ''Rock Me Gently'' (Metronome, 1961) * Rosemary Clooney, '' Blue Rose'' (Columbia, 1956) * Paul Gonsalves, '' Cookin''' (Argo, 1958) * Jimmy Hamilton, ''Clarinet in High Fi'' (Urania, 1955) * Jimmy Hamilton, ''Swing Low, Sweet Clarinet'' (World Record Club, 1963) *

Lionel Hampton Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, percussionist, and bandleader. He worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, an ...

, ''Ring Dem Vibes'' (Blue Star, 1976) *

Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (March 14, 1933 – November 3, 2024) was an American record producer, composer, arranger, conductor, trumpeter, and bandleader. Over the course of his seven-decade career, he received List of awards and nominations re ...

, '' The Birth of a Band!'' (Mercury, 1959) * Brooks Kerr & Paul Quinichette, ''Prevue'' (Famous Door, 1974) * Buddy Rich, ''The Roar of '74'' (Groove Merchant, 1974) * Joya Sherrill, '' Joya Sherrill Sings Duke'' (20th Century Fox, 1965) *

Billy Strayhorn William Thomas Strayhorn (November 29, 1915 – May 31, 1967) was an American jazz composer, pianist, lyricist, and arranger who collaborated with bandleader and composer Duke Ellington for nearly three decades. His compositions include "Take the ...

, ''Live!'' (Roulette, 1969) * Clark Terry, '' Duke with a Difference'' (Riverside, 1957) * Clark Terry, '' Out on a Limb with Clark Terry'' (Argo, 1957) * Clark Terry, ''Cruising'' (Milestone, 1975) * Norris Turney, ''I Let a Song...'' (Black and Blue, 1978) * Jimmy Woode, '' The Colorful Strings of Jimmy Woode'' (Argo, 1958)

References

;Citations ;General references * Sam Woodyardat

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Woodyard, Sam 1935 births 1988 deaths American jazz drummers Musicians from Elizabeth, New Jersey Duke Ellington Orchestra members 20th-century American drummers American male drummers American male jazz musicians 20th-century American male musicians Drummers from New Jersey