Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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VAN EPS, George

(b 7 Aug. '13, Plainfield NJ; d 29 Nov. '98, Newport Beach CA) Guitarist. Father was Fred Van Eps, ragtime banjo player who began recording on cylinders in 1897 and was one of the best-selling recording artists of the era, making an LP 60 years later. George played banjo, switched to guitar early '30s; played with bands including Smith Ballew, Freddy Martin, Benny Goodman '34-5, Ray Noble '35-6, again '39-41; also much radio and studio work. He did research into sound technology early '40s with his father. He invented a seven-string guitar with an extra bass string, accompanying his own solos; always playing acoustic, among the most highly regarded by other guitarists. After WWII mostly studio work, especially with Paul Weston (solos on LPs); heard in excellent dixieland band led by Dick Cathcart for film Pete Kelly's Blues '55 (and later TV series); on LPs in a similar vein with Rampart Street Paraders (Matty Matlock, etc) on Columbia '50s. Very few records under his own name include 78s on a Jump label, a George Van Eps Ensemble session on Columbia, later LPs Mellow Guitar on Columbia; Soliloquy, My Guitar and Seven Strings on Capitol. Keepin' Time '94 is a quartet with Howard Alden on second guitar on Concord.