Getty H. Huffine

Getty Herschel Huffine (1889-1947) was an American music composer, trombonist and tuba player. He was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky on August 25, 1889 (best information found in county clerk's office), the eldest of 4 children (Smith).

He was employed at an axe handle factory and, when the Bowling Green town band was organized in 1907, he was accepted on the condition that he play valve trombone, a trombone with a fixed slide and valves such as a euphonium. He was a self taught musician. During the next five years Huffine taught himself tuba as well as the basics of harmony, counterpoint and composition. It is reputed that he spend his mature years as a tubist in professional bands (including Pat Conway's Concert Band) and possibly circus bands. It is reputed that he worked for C.L. Barnhouse as a music engraver, however there are no substantiating records (Smith). In 1919, Huffine settled in Binghamton, New York playing in the Endicott-Johnson Shoe Factory band playing tuba, as well as filling in on trumpet, trombone, and string bass (based on information from Endicott-Johnson Co).

Huffine died in Binghamton on February 12, 1947 (County Clerk Records). The Endicott-Johnson shoe band, of which Getty Huffine was a member at the time of his death, played his famous march, THEM BASSES, at the gravesite.

Compositions

*Basses on a Rampage March - pub. Karl King 1927
*The Bear Cat March - pub. C.L. Barnhouse 1924
*Dull Razor Blues - pub. Karl King 1929
*I B M March - pub. Karl King 1928
*The Syncopator March - pub. Karl King 1929
*Them Basses March - pub. Fillmore 1924
*Triple Cities March - pub. King 1930 (Binghamton, Endicott, Johnson City)

References

*Bierley, Paul Edmund: Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music (info from L. Geiger)
*Geiger, Loren: Boombah Herald Newsletter
*Hoe Robert - producer of Heritage of the March record series
*Smith, Norman: March Music Notes, Program Notes Press 1986