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George Holmes “Buddy” Tate was born on February 22, 1913 in Sherman, Texas and first played the alto saxophone. He began performing in public as early as 1925 in a band called McCloud’s Night Owls, then later in the decade was playing tenor saxophone around the Southwest with bands led by Terrence Holder, Andy Kirk and Nat Towles.

He joined Count Basie in 1939 replacing Herschel Evans and stayed with him until 1948. After his period with Basie ended, he worked with several other bands before finding success on his own, starting in 1953 in Harlem. Buddy’s group worked at the Celebrity Club from 1953 to 1974. In the late 1970s, he co-led a band with Paul Quinichette and worked with Benny Goodman.

In 1979, Tate’s hometown invited him to play a concert at Austin College’s Sid Richardson Center as part of The Sherman Symphony Pops Series. Mayor Virginia Morriss issued a proclamation declaring October 6th as Buddy Tate Day. Accompanying Tate were Jay McShann, Claude Williams, Buster Smith and Paul Gunther.

In 1980, he was injured by scalding water in a hotel shower, which kept him inactive for four months. The 1990s saw him slow down, but he remained active playing with Lionel Hampton among others.

In 1992, Tate took part in the documentary, Texas Tenor: The Illinois Jacquet Story. In 1996, he recorded with reeds player James Carter on the younger man’s second release for Atlantic Records, Conversin’ with the Elders, along with trumpeters Harry “Sweets” Edison and Lester Bowie, and saxophonists Hamiet Bluiett and Larry Smith.

Living in New York until 2001, he moved to Phoenix, Arizona to be cared for by his daughter. Saxophonist and clarinetist Buddy Tate died in Chandler, Arizona twelve days before his 88th birthday on February 10, 2001.

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