Harold Betters

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Harold Betters (March 21, 1928 – October 11, 2020) was an American jazz trombone player. He was born in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Pittsburgh. His parents ran Betters’ Grill and Hotel. He studied music education at Ithaca College for two years before being drafted into the Army in World War II. After the war, he studied at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music for a year. In 1952 he moved to Boston and met his wife, Marjorie. He toured with Dick Gregory and with the Ray Charles big band, and he played at the Apollo Theatre. He then led his own quartet with pianist John Thomas and his brother Jerry Betters on drums. In the early 1960s he moved back to Pittsburgh, worked as a session musician, and performed at the Crawford Grill with jazz greats such as Max Roach, Dizzy Gillespie, Stanley Turrentine, Roy Eldridge, and Sonny Rollins. He also played in a group with his two brothers, including Jimmy on trumpet. Known as "Mr. Trombone," he played in the style of Trummy Young and Bennie Green. In late 1964 he had his only chart appearance on the US Hot 100 with "Do Anything You Wanna (Pt. 1)", which peaked at number 74. He died on October 11, 2020, at age 92.