Photo: Helmut Montag / CC BY 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Lionel Hampton is, to me, one of jazz's true architects. He took the vibraphone, an instrument most people barely noticed, and turned it into a swinging, electrifying voice. The list of names he played with reads like a history of the music itself: Benny Goodman, Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, Quincy Jones. Living from 1908 to 2002, he bridged eras most musicians only read about. The National Medal of Arts and Kennedy Center Honors confirm what the recordings already prove. What I admire most is his sheer joy on the bandstand, a generosity of spirit you can still hear today.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Lionel Hampton
- Name (Japanese)
- ライオネル・ハンプトン
- Reading
- らいおねる・はんぷとん
- Born
- April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Monkey
- Origin
- Louisville, Kentucky, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- bandleader / saxophonist / composer / jazz musician / actor
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- University of Southern California
Awards & achievements
- National Medal of Arts
- Paul Acket Award
- Kennedy Center Honors
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- NEA Jazz Masters
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Lionel Hampton born?
April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002.
Where is Lionel Hampton from?
Lionel Hampton is from Louisville, Kentucky, United States.
What does Lionel Hampton do?
Lionel Hampton works as bandleader, saxophonist, composer, jazz musician, actor.
Bandleader — see all → · Saxophonist — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.