Barnet, Charlie

orig. Charles Daly Barnet

(born Oct. 26, 1913, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died Sept., 4, 1991, San Diego, Calif.) U.S. saxophonist and big-band leader of the swing era. Born to a wealthy family, Barnet took up the saxophone as a child and eventually performed on tenor, alto, and soprano. His was among the first of the big bands to be racially integrated, and his unabashed admiration for Duke Ellington and Count Basie resulted in an effective synthesis of their styles. His best-known recording was “Cherokee” (1939).

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