Herman Chittison, born on October 15, 1908, in Flemingsburg, Kentucky, was an American jazz pianist of the Swing era who taught himself to play. He began his career in 1928 with Zack Whyte's band in Cincinnati and accompanied blues singers Adelaide Hall and Ethel Waters in the early 1930s. Chittison moved to Europe in 1932, collaborating with Louis Armstrong in 1934 and performing with Willie Lewis's orchestra from 1935 to 1939. Notable recordings include "My Melancholy Baby" for the Swing label in 1938. He fled to Egypt before France's occupation, and played with his own band that included Bill Coleman. Returning to the U.S. in 1941, he formed a trio and recorded with singers like Thelma Carpenter and Mildred Bailey. Chittison performed in New York in the 1950s and continued to play in Cleveland until his death from lung cancer on March 8, 1967.
