Quilla Hugh "Porky" Freeman (June 29, 1916 in Vera Cruz, Missouri, United States – July 8, 2001) was an American Western swing performer, bandleader, and songwriter. He was also an electric guitar pioneer and inventor.

In the 1940s he led the Californian based band, the 'Porky Freeman Trio'. One of his early hits, "Porky's Boogie Woogie on Strings", began rock and roll's evolution out of Western swing. As a session musician he backed many of the popular musicians of the time.

Porky Freeman

His early experimentation with the electric guitar led to several patents for the instrument. One of the patents, 'Single Pickup Frequency Control For String Instrument', led to legal wrangling with Fender.

Porky Freeman

Discography

note: [bracketed numbers] = matrix numbers, (v) = vocal, (i) = instrumental track

Porky Freeman

Compilations

The Boogie Woogie Boy (Cattle Compact [Germany] CCD-294, 2000)

References

Songwriters from Missouri

American bandleaders

Guitarists from Missouri

Western swing performers

Apex Records artists

Four Star Records artists

1916 births

2001 deaths

20th-century American guitarists