Herman Chittison

Born in Flemingsburg, Kentucky,^[1] he began his career in 1928 as a member of Zack Whyte's territory band in Ohio.^[1] Chittison moved to New York in the early 1930s and found work as an accompanist to Ethel Waters, Adelaide Hall, and Clarence Williams.^[1] He also visited Boston for the first time with a traveling show headlined by comic actor Stepin Fetchit. In late 1933, he toured Europe with the Willie Lewis Orchestra; the following year, he recorded with Louis Armstrong in Paris.^[1] He and trumpeter Bill Coleman led the Harlem Rhythm Makers.^[1] Chittison and Coleman left Lewis' group in 1938 and formed a band that worked extensively in Cairo, Egypt, and traveled as far east as India.

In 1950 he recorded his first album for Columbia Records, called Keyboard Capers. The following year, the label released an album that Chittison cut with guitarist Everett Barksdale and bassist Abie Baker as the Herman Chittison Trio.

In October 1959, Chittison arrived in Boston and was employed as the resident pianist at the Red Garter bar in the Lenox Hotel. He then moved to the Mayfair Lounge in Bay Village. His stay in Boston lasted two years in total.^[2] He also had a reoccurring role as the piano player in the Blue Note Bar on the radio series, Casey, Crime Photographer.^[1]

Chittison died in Cleveland in March 1967, at the age of 58.^[1]