Freddie Slack

Frederick Charles Slack ( Westby , August 7 1910 - Hollywood August 10 1965 ) was an American swing and boogie woogie pianist and bandleader. He acted in the orchestra of Jimmy Dorsey .

Slack went to the conservatory in Chicago and worked from 1927 to 1931 in the orchestra of Johnny Tobin . In 1931 he moved to Los Angeles, where he played in the bands of Henry Halstead , Earl Burtnett , Archie Rosate , Lennie Hayton and Ben Pollack . In 1936 he joined the orchestra of Jimmy Dorsey.After that he played, from 1939, the band trombonist Will Bradley, who played in a boogie woogie style. Slack played the piano on Bradley's hit "Beat Me Daddy, Eight To the Bar, named after the nickname of Slack, 'Daddy Slack.

In 1942 Slack founded his own orchestra, which also played boogie woogie. The band got a record deal with the fledgling Capitol Records and took include "Cow Cow Boogie" on, sung by Ella Mae Morse, a number one hit was within a few weeks. It was the first million-seller Capitol. Then followed including the hit "Strange Cargo". Slack took to Capitol until early fifties plates. He stopped at that time with his orchestra and then went into a piano-duo or play with his trio.

Slack continued working as supervisor include Big Joe Turner , Johnny Mercer and Margaret Whiting .