Booty Wood born 27 December 1919

Wood was born in Dayton, Ohio. As a youngster he was fascinated by the trombonists in the passing parade bands. When he eventually acquired a trombone he wasn’t happy with its limitations, but as he couldn’t afford a trumpet he had to make do with  his  first instrument. After a while he began to play in a little jazz group and things began to get better. 

His early influences were mainly trumpet players, particularly the brothers Snooty and Granville Young. Snooty, later famous for work in the Lunceford and Basie bands, got Booty his first professional job at the age of thirteen in a local twelve piece band. From then on he was committed to Jazz and for seven years his education was interrupted by musical adventuring. In fact, he returned to school for the last time when he was nineteen and graduated with a sister three years younger than himself. 

His subsequent career brought him experience in bands large and small, working with Tiny Bradshaw and Lionel Hampton in the early '40s. During WW2, Wood played in a Navy band with Clark Terry, Willie Smith, and Gerald Wilson, then reteamed with Hampton after his discharge. He joined Arnett Cobb's small band in 1947 and 1948, played with Erskine Hawkins from 1948 to 1950, and with Count Basie in 1951. 

Wood left music for a while before joining Ellington in 1959 and working with him until 1960. He rejoined in 1963, but only stayed briefly. Wood returned a third time in the early '70s. During his time with Ellington, Wood became a skilled specialist in playing with the plunger mute. In his unmuted solos, his style resembled that of Trummy Young. 

Booty also worked with Earl Hines in 1968, and with Mercer Ellington in the '70s. Wood recorded with the Count Basie Orchestra from 1979 to the mid-'80s. 

He died in his birth-town  on June 10, 1987 in Dayton, Ohio at the age of 67 years old. 

(Scant information Edited from the New Grove Dictionary of Jazz & album liner notes)