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Tiny Winters was born Frederick Gittens on January 24,1909 in London, England. He learned the violin as a child but switched to the double bass, developing a pizzicato style based on New Orleans bass man Pops Foster.

By the 1920s he was he was working with the Roy Fox Band, then with pianist and arranger Lew Stone in the 30s. Utilizing his unusually high vocal talents to cover Ella Fitzgerald hits, he would get fan mail addressed to Miss Tiny Winters.

He would go on to play with Ray Noble, record with Coleman Hawkins and began leading his own groups by 1936. With his notoriety established he played regularly at the Hatchett Club and freelanced as a session player in theatrical orchestras for shows like Annie Get Your Gun and West Side Story.

Tiny would later play with Digby Fairweather in the Kettner’s Five, record with Benny Waters, was the bassist and featured comedian with George Chisholm in The Black and White Minstrel Show. During the late Eighties Winters would lead the Café Society Orchestra and his own Palm Court Trio, write his autobiography “It Took A Lot Of Pluck” and retired in the 90s after being awarded the Freedom of the City of London. Bassist, vocalist and bandleader Tiny Winters  passed away February 7, 1996.

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