Dan Burley was a boogie-woogie piano player from Chicago who was also a
journalist, writing in African American publications such as the
Chicago "Defender", the (New York) "Amsterdam News" and "Ebony"
magazine. At his death he was the managing editor of "Muhammad Speaks,"
the official publication of the Nation of Islam. In 1946, he formed a
band called "Dan Burley and His Skiffle Boys", consisting of bass
violist George "Pops" Foster, guitarist Sticks McGhee and his brother,
the eminent guitarist and blues singer Brownie McGhee; this band was
later cited as a seminal influence on such British rock groups as The
Beatles.
