Tuff Green

'''Richard Henry''' "'''Tuff'''" '''Green''' (July 23, 1911 – June 19, 1966) was an American jazz and R&B bassist and bandleader.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.southernfolklore.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=57&Itemid=75|title=Center for Southern Folklore|website=Southernfolklore.com|accessdate=December 15, 2025}}</ref>

He was born in Greenville, Mississippi, United States. After studying with Jimmie Lunceford in Memphis, Tennessee, in the late 1940s he led the Rocketeers, which featured, among others, Phineas Newborn Sr., Ben Branch, Leonard "Doughbelly" Campbell, Willie Mitchell, Hank Crawford,<ref name=decosta> Luther Steinberg [https://books.google.com/books?id=po0UCjyTjuoC&dq=tuff+green+band&pg=PA40 DeCosta-Willis, Miriam (2008) ''Notable Black Memphians''], p. 40. Cambria Press, At Google Books. Retrieved July 2, 2013.</ref> saxophonist Irvin Reason, trumpeter Gene "Bowlegs" Miller, trombonist Walter "Tang" Smith, saxophonist James Luper, and pianist Harry Gibson.<ref>[http://www.706unionavenue.nl/67344361 706 Union Avenue Memphis, Tennessee: 706 Union Avenue Sessions] Retrieved July 2, 2013.</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=po0UCjyTjuoC&q=tuff+green+band DeCosta-Willis, Miriam (2008) ''Notable Black Memphians''], p. 100. Cambria Press Retrieved July 2, 2013.</ref> Mose Allison, having heard them in 1947, has credited Tuff Green and His Rocketeers with playing the first "rock and roll".<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=fkpEAAAAMAAJ&q=Miller+rocketeers+tuff Jones, Patti (1995) ''One Man's Blues: The Life and Music of Mose Allison'', p. 27. Quartet Books] At Google Books. Retrieved July 2, 2013.</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=cmpYbcoS2OwC&dq=rocketeers+tuff&pg=PA161 Coleman, Christopher Kiernan (2011) ''Ghosts and Haunts of Tennessee'', p. 161. John F. Blair] At Google Books. Retrieved July 2, 2013.</ref>

As an established bandleader in Memphis, in 1951 he later put together the pickup band for B. B. King's first hit, "Three O'Clock Blues",<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=X7MDBmBnhSEC&dq=tuff+green&pg=PA188 Lauterbach, Preston (2011) ''The Chitlin' Circuit: And the Road to Rock 'n' Roll'' pp. 188-213. W. W. Norton & Company.] At Google Books. Retrieved July 2, 2013.</ref> Ben Branch and Phineas Newborn Sr., along with Newborn's sons, Phineas Jr. and Calvin, together with Ben Branch's brother Thomas, and Sammie Jett<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=A_MX7evt8M4C&dq=tuff+green+bass&pg=PA27 Danchin, Sebastian (1998) ''Blues Boy: The Life and Music of B.B. King'', p. 27. Univ. Press of Mississippi] At Google Books. Retrieved July 2, 2013.</ref> and which was recorded in Green's sitting room.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=TTtp27sjB7YC&dq=tuff+green+bass&pg=PA37 Farley, Charles (2011) ''Soul of the Man: Bobby "Blue" Bland'', p. 37. Univ. Press of Mississippi] At Google Books. Retrieved July 2, 2013.</ref> A previous version of the song had been recorded in September 1951 with King backed by Richard Sanders and Adolph "Billy" Duncan on tenor saxes, Johnny Ace, Green, and Earl Forest on drums.<ref>[https://www.pbs.org/theblues/songsartists/songsdiscmemphis.html "The songs and the artists"] PBS. Retrieved July 2, 2013.</ref>

Bobby Bland's first recording was also made in Green's sitting room,<ref name=decosta /> and featured Green, Johnny Ace, Earl Forest, M.T. (Matthew) Murphy, Little Junior Parker, Ike Turner,<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=CTl7bIJI2hUC&q=tuff+green&pg=PA83 African Americans in Memphis (TN)] At Google Books. Retrieved July 2, 2013.</ref> and Rosco Gordon,<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=6-irkAMfLkEC&q=tuff+green&pg=PT166 Guralnick, Peter and Robert Santelli, Holly George-Warren (2013) ''Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues: A Musical Journey''. HarperCollins] At Google Books. Retrieved July 2, 2013.</ref> whose "No More Doggin'", also recorded at Green's home, was a number 3 R&B hit.<ref>[http://www.rockabilly.nl/references/messages/rosco_gordon.htm] {{dead link|date=December 2025}}</ref>

He died in Memphis, Tennessee, in June 1966, at the age of 54.

== Discography == === Album features === * 2000: ''A Shot in the Dark – Nashville Jumps'' (Bear Family Records) * 2007: ''Bullet Records -'' ''Rhythm & Blues'' (Blue Label) * 2010: ''Bullet Records Jump, Blues & Ballads'' (SPV GmbH)

=== Albums as a sideman === * 1977: Rosco Gordon – ''The Legendary Sun Performers'' (Charly Records) * 2010: Ike Turner – ''That Kat Sure Could Play! The Singles 1951–1957'' (Secret Records Limited) * 2013: B.B. King – ''The Indispensable 1949–1962'' (Frémeaux & Associés)

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == *[https://books.google.com/books?id=CTl7bIJI2hUC&q=tuff Jenkins, Earnestine Lovelle (2009) ''African Americans in Memphis'', p. 83. Arcadia Publishing] At Google Books. Retrieved July 2, 2013. Photo of Tuff Green playing at the Mitchell Hotel in Memphis.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Green, Tuff}} Category:1911 births Category:1966 deaths Category:American bandleaders Category:American jazz double-bassists Category:American male double-bassists Category:American male jazz musicians Category:American rhythm and blues musicians Category:20th-century African-American musicians Category:Musicians from Greenville, Mississippi