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Fred Beckett

1917 – 1946

American musician

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About Fred Beckett

Lived 1917 – 1946 (aged 29). Fred Beckett was an American jazz musician.

Fred Lee Beckett (January 23, 1917 – January 30, 1946) was an American jazz trombonist known for his work with the Lionel Hampton Big Band and other jazz groups.

Beckett was born in 1917 in Nettleton, Mississippi and learned to play trombone in his high school band.

Career Beckett's professional career began in Kansas City in the 1930s, and soon after he landed a job with Eddie Johnson's Crackerjacks in St. Louis, Missouri. He played with Duke Wright, Tommy Douglas, Buster Smith, and Andy Kirk over the next few years, as well as time in a territory band with Prince Stewart and a gig in Omaha, Nebraska with Nat Towles. Later in the decade he played with Harlan Leonard. Beckett's musical style has been described as flexible and legato. He served in the Army during World War II, where he contracted tuberculosis. He died of the illness in 1946 at the age of 28.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Also known as
Fred Lee Beckett

People in Fred Beckett's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Fred Beckett's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Fred Beckett?

American musician (1917-1946)

When was Fred Beckett born?

Fred Beckett was born on 23 January 1917.

When did Fred Beckett die?

Fred Beckett died on 30 January 1946.

What was Fred Beckett's occupation?

Fred Beckett was a jazz musician.

What nationality was Fred Beckett?

Fred Beckett was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Fred Beckett

· Wikidata: Q5494582

· DBpedia: Fred Beckett

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Fred Beckett. https://biography.guide/fred-beckett/

MLA: "Fred Beckett." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/fred-beckett/.

Chicago: "Fred Beckett." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/fred-beckett/.

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