Pete Pedersen

Pete Pedersen (born September 4, 1925) is an American harmonica player and educator.

Pete Pedersen was born in Chicago, Illinois, on September 4, 1925.

Pedersen grew up in Chicago and he used to play harmonica with his friends in a park. Jerry Murad, another harmonica played who happened to be there, noticed Pedersen and let Pedersen try his chromatic harmonica. They became friends and shortly after, they formed a band The Harmonica Madcaps with Bob Hadamik (bass harmonica), and Al Fiore (chord harmonica).

When Borrah Minevitch was performing in Chicago with his group The Harmonica Rascals, he met Pedersen backstage. Pedersen impressed Minevitch when he was asked by Minevitch to play something on his harmonica. Minevitch then asked Pedersen to join The Harmonica Rascals.

Pedersen and Jerry joined the Rascals and played with fellow members of the group—Tony Reyes, Don Quagenti, Bobby Lee, Seymour Epstein, Ray Tankersley, and Johnny Puleo.

In the late 1940s, Pedersen left the Rascals to play harmonica with Don Henry and Fuzzy Feldman in the Don Herny Trio and made a few recordings on Regent Records.

When Jerry Murad formed his Harmonicats in 1947, Pedersen became its main arranger and was the 2nd chromatic player for many albums over the band's nearly 50 years of recording. Other members of the group include Don Les, Bob Hadamik (bass harmonica), and Al Fiore.

At some point, Pedersen moved to Memphis where he continued with his music career and recorded many TV and radio jingles.

He also taught harmonica and one of his students was Billy Gibson who earned the title "The Prince of Beale Street" for his regular performances on Beale Street in Memphis.

In 2006, author Jaine Rodack wrote a book about Pedersen - Be Of Good Cheer: Memories Of Harmonica Legend Pete Pedersen.

Pederson is honored with a brass note on Beale's Walk of Fame.