George Jenkins

George Jenkins (November 19, 1911—May 10, 1967) was an American jazz drummer in the swing era. He worked with many celebrated jazz and blues musicians including Erroll Garner, Lionel Hampton, Louis Armstrong, Ben Webster, and Benny Carter.

Active from the early 1940s to the mid-1960s, Jenkins was involved in 38 recording sessions. He also made a few recordings with his own groups.

George Jenkins was born on November 19, 1911. He began his music career in the early 1940s with big bands in New York. His first big moments came when he performed with Lionel Hampton's band. In those years, he also worked with Lucky Millinder, Hot Lips Page, Jerry Jerome, and recorded with Buddy Johnson, Herb Jeffries, Wynonie Harris (1945), Arnett Cobb, and Bing Crosby (1946).

After playing with Charlie Barnet, Jenkins performed with his own jazz groups in Detroit, Michigan, in 1947. In 1949, he was briefly in Louis Armstrong's All-Stars band.

In the early 1950s, he relocated to California and began working with Ben Webster, Freddie Slack, Benny Carter, and Oscar Moore before establishing his own projects.

In the mid-1950s, Jenkins led his jazz groups and entered a recording contract with Robert Scherman's labels Tampa and Skylark Records and released a few jazz and blues recordings:

• 1955: Drum Boogie (written by Gene Krupa), as "George Jenkins and The Tune Twisters", with Bumps Myers (saxophone), Gerald Wiggins (piano), Red Callender (bass), and Herman Mitchell (guitar).
• 1955: Drum Magic as "George Jenkins And His All-Stars", accompanied by pianist Ray Johnson, saxophonist Plas Johnson, bassist Duke Harris
• 1955: Drum Stuff as "George Jenkins And His All-Stars", accompanied by pianist Ray Johnson, saxophonist Plas Johnson, bassist Duke Harris
• 1956: "Caravan" / "Last Call" as "George Jenkins And His Orchestra"
• 1956: "Rasputin" / "Drum Tatoo" as "George Jenkins And His Orchestra"
• 1956: "Shufflin' Boogie" / "Drum Boogie" as "George Jenkins And His Orchestra"

In the late 1950s, Jenkins worked with percussionist Mike Pacheco and pianist Bubber Johnson. In 1957, he was part of "Downtown Orchestra" in the television movie The Downtown Show alongside violinist Stuff Smith and guitarist Jimmy Bryant. The show was written and hosted by Jimmie Jackson.

During the 1960s, Jenkins headed his own jazz ensembles performing around Hollywood and Las Vegas. He then returned to New York City where he worked with pianist Erroll Garner and performed at Metropole Cafe (7th Avenue and 48th Street) until 1967.

In 1944, Jenkins married "Queen of the Blues" Dinah Washington. Jenkins was Dinah's second husband. They had a son George Jenkins Jr. born in June 1946.

Jenkins and Dinah divorced by the end of 1946.

Jenkins died in San Francisco, California, on May 10, 1967. He was 55.