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Submitted URL: http://newyorker.com/archive/1982/04/12/1982_04_12_039_TNY_CARDS_000335949
Effective URL: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1982/04/12/sonny-greer
Submission: On April 11 via api from DJ — Scanned from DE
Effective URL: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1982/04/12/sonny-greer
Submission: On April 11 via api from DJ — Scanned from DE
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Skip to main content * Newsletter Story Saved To revisit this article, select My Account, then View saved stories Close Alert Sign In Search Search * News * Books & Culture * Fiction & Poetry * Humor & Cartoons * Magazine * Puzzles & Games * Video * Podcasts * Archive * Goings On * Shop Open Navigation Menu Menu Story Saved To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories Close Alert The Talk of the Town April 12, 1982 Issue SONNY GREER By Whitney Balliett April 4, 1982 * Facebook * Twitter * Email * Print * Save Story * Facebook * Twitter * Email * Print * Save Story The New Yorker, April 12, 1982 P. 39 Talk story about jazz drummer Sonny Greer, who died a week or so ago at the age of seventy-eight. Greer was a co-founder of the Duke Ellington band, in the early twenties, and remained Ellington's drummer for almost thirty years. He left in 1951 and never went back. Describes Greers youthful appearance, his manner and his drumming style. He was born William Alexander Greer Jr. in Long Branch, New Jersey. His father was an electrician and his mother was a modiste. He didn't waste his childhood -- he caddied, peddled fish, delivered newspapers, became expert at pool and learned how to sing and play drums. He said he learned his music from a drummer named Eugene (Peggy) Holland, who once played in Long Branch with the J. Rosamond Johnson choral group. Ellington, in his book "Music is My Mistress" said that Greer learned by banging on his mother's pots and pans. Quotes some of the homilies by which Greer lived his life, e.g., "When you're getting ready to lie, don't smile," "Retired people lie under a tree and play checkers, and first thing you know they're gone." Greer never retired -- he lived on the West Side with his wife Millicent and from the early seventies on he played with his friend, pianist Brooks Kerr, and with alto saxophonist Russel Procope. After Procope died, Greer and Kerr played on, at Gregory's, or the West End Cafe, or at private parties. View Article Published in the print edition of the April 12, 1982, issue. THIS WEEK’S ISSUE Never miss a big New Yorker story again. Sign up for This Week’s Issue and get an e-mail every week with the stories you have to read. E-mail address Sign up By signing up, you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement. Read More Under Review The Marvellous Boys of Palo Alto From Silicon Valley Bank to Sam Bankman-Fried, the recent scandals upending the tech industry are rooted in a longer tradition of innovation and impunity. By David Leavitt Profiles The Wild World of Music What can elephants, birds, and flamenco players teach a neuroscientist-composer about music? By Burkhard Bilger Letter from the South Jimmy Carter’s Rock-and-Roll Legacy The former President has a surprisingly long list of musician friends, some of whom, in the past days and weeks, have been reflecting on the time they’ve had with him. By Charles Bethea The Wayward Press A Coup at the WestView News A succession battle involving a fight for the patronage of Sarah Jessica Parker threatens to stop the presses at a Greenwich Village newspaper. By Zach Helfand Sections * News * Books & Culture * Fiction & Poetry * Humor & Cartoons * Magazine * Crossword * Video * Podcasts * Archive * Goings On More * Customer Care * Shop The New Yorker * Buy Covers and Cartoons * Condé Nast Store * Digital Access * Newsletters * Jigsaw Puzzle * RSS * About * Careers * Contact * F.A.Q. * Media Kit * Press * Accessibility Help * Condé Nast Spotlight © 2023 Condé Nast. All rights reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. The New Yorker may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast. Ad Choices * Facebook * Twitter * Snapchat * YouTube * Instagram Manage Preferences We and our partners store and/or access information on a device, such as unique IDs in cookies to process personal data. You may accept or manage your choices by clicking below or at any time in the privacy policy page. These choices will be signaled to our partners and will not affect browsing data.More Information WE AND OUR PARTNERS PROCESS DATA TO PROVIDE: Use precise geolocation data. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Store and/or access information on a device. Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. List of Partners (vendors) I Accept Show Purposes