After 1962 Howard suffered a prolonged illness, and after recuperating he played with Elmer Snowden, Burt Bales, and his own groups.
Snowden was working as a parking lot attendant in 1959 when Chris Albertson, then a Philadelphia disc jockey, came across him.
Four of these records, made with his ensemble the Get Happy Band, are of special interest to collectors of early jazz, as these albums featured performances by the soprano saxophonist Sidney Bechet, as well as by Duke Ellington sidemen Joe “Tricky Sam” Nanton (trombone) and Elmer Snowden (banjo).
Following this he played with Charlie Johnson, Elmer Snowden (1932), Stuff Smith (1934), Lil Armstrong (1935), and Chick Webb (1936-39), the last as both a soloist and arranger.
In the late 1940s he joined Elmer Snowden's band, staying there until 1952, when he took a tour of duty during the Korean War.
Elmer Fudd | Edward Snowden | Elmer Snowden | Elmer Gantry | Elmer Gantry (film) | Elmer Bischoff | Elmer's Pet Rabbit | Elmer Rice | Elmer Livingston MacRae | Elmer Lach | Elmer Bernstein | James Ross Snowden | James Elmer Mitchell | Elmer Woggon | Elmer Thomas | Elmer Keith | Elmer Grey | Elmer "Gloomy Gus" Henderson | Adolph Daniel Edward Elmer | Snowden Run 3D, | Snowden Run 3D | Paul Elmer More | John M. Snowden | Elmer Wexler | Elmer Towns | Elmer the Great Dane | Elmer Scipio Dundy | Elmer Robinson | Elmer Kelton | Elmer Iseler Singers |
While Tommy worked out of Europe for much of this time, Bill worked in America, playing with Bubber Miley, Marie Lucas, Elmer Snowden, the Gulf Coast Seven, the Plantation Orchestra, Thomas Morris & His Seven Hot Babies, Ethel Waters, Willie "The Lion" Smith, and Jelly Roll Morton.
Aside from this, he worked with Harry White, Elmer Snowden, Zutty Singleton, and Mezz Mezzrow, and worked as a freelance arranger after his time with Webb and Redman.
Greer was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, and played with Elmer Snowden's band and the Howard Theatre's orchestra in Washington, D.C. before joining Duke Ellington, whom he met in 1919.