Buddy Montgomery: The Youngest Brother Who Kept the Music Alive Charles "Buddy" Montgomery was born on January 30, 1930, in Indianapolis, Indiana—the youngest of the Montgomery brothers, a family that would become one of jazz's most remarkable musical dynasties. While his older brothers Monk and Wes would achieve fame on bass and guitar respectively, Buddy carved his own path, mastering both piano and vibraphone with equal facility.

Early Steps in a Legendary Family Buddy began his professional career in 1948 at just eighteen years old. By the following year, he was playing with blues shouter Big…