Lionel Leo Hampton was a jazz vibraphonist, percussionist, bandleader and actor. Like Red Norvo, he was one of the first real jazz vibraphone players. "Hamp" ranks among the great names in jazz history, having worked with a who's who of jazz musicians, from Benny Goodman and Buddy Rich to Charlie Parker and Quincy Jones.

Lionel Hampton was born in either Birmingham, Alabama or Louisville, Kentucky in 1908 and was raised by his grandmother, but spent his youth in Kenosha, Wisconsin before he and his family moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1916.

During the 1950s he had a strong interest in Judaism and raised money for Israel. In 1953 he composed a King David suite and performed it in Israel with the Boston Pops Orchestra. Later in life Hampton became a Christian Scientist. Hampton's wife was his manager throughout much of his career. Many musicians recall that Lionel ran the music and Gladys ran the business. Hampton was a Thirty-three degree Prince Hall freemason in New York, also.

Lionel Hampton died from congestive heart failure on August 31, 2002 in New York City, and is interred in the Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York.

From Wikipedia