Ralph Earl Sutton (November 4, 1922[1] – December 30, 2001)[2] was an American jazz pianist born in Hamburg, Missouri. He was a stride pianist in the tradition of James P. Johnson and Fats Waller.
Sutton was born in Hamburg, Missouri, United States,[1] the son of Earl and Edna Sutton. His younger sister Barbara Sutton Curtis was also a jazz pianist.[3][4]
Sutton had a stint as a session musician with Jack Teagarden's band,[1] before joining the US Army during World War II. After the war, he played at various venues in Missouri, eventually ending up at Eddie Condon's club in Greenwich Village.[1] In 1956, he relocated to San Francisco, California, where he recorded several albums with Bob Scobey's dixieland band. From the 1960s onward, he worked mostly on his own.[1] However, when the World's Greatest Jazz Band was established in 1968, he was the natural choice for piano.[1] He left that band in 1974 due to the extensive travel involved, and joined an old sidekick, Peanuts Hucko, in a quartet in Denver, near his home in Evergreen, Colorado.[5]: 1–4, 133, 202
Fellow jazz pianist Jess Stacy said this about Ralph Sutton: "He is a superb piano player and a great guy. There's nothing upstage about him. I really admire the way he plays. He's one of the few piano players who uses both hands, and it's sure nice to know that a player like Ralph is still around. I can't say enough good things about him. He's one of the greats, and I hope he gets the recognition he deserves."[5]: 180
Sutton died of a stroke in Evergreen, Colorado, at the age of 79.[2]
With Ruby Braff
With Dick Cary
With Kenny Davern
With Dick Hyman
With Jay McShann
With Johnny Varro
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