Buddy Featherstonhaugh

Who was Buddy Featherstonhaugh?

Rupert Edward Lee "Buddy" Featherstonhaugh was an English jazz saxophonist.

Featherstonhaugh studied in Sussex, and had his first professional gig with Pat O'Malley in 1927. He was with Spike Hughes from 1930 to 1932, and toured England in Billy Mason's band behind Louis Armstrong that same year. In 1933 he recorded with a group called The Cosmopolitans, which included Fletcher Allen. He recorded with Valaida Snow in 1935 and Benny Carter in 1937. During World War II, he led a Royal Air Force band which had among its members Vic Lewis, Don McAffer, and Jack Parnell. They went on to record as The BBC Radio Rhythm Club Sextet during 1943-45. After the war he toured Iceland in 1946, and then left the jazz scene, taking up work as a car salesman. In 1956 he returned to play in a quintet with Leon Calvert, Roy Sidewell, Kenny Wheeler, and Bobby Wellins. He toured the Middle East in 1957 and then went into permanent retirement.

He also was an occasional racing car driver. In 1934 he took over Whitney Straight's car, a Maserati 26M, winning the Albi Grand Prix as member of the Team Straight.