Providing a hearty bottom for many bands on either bass or tuba, this early jazz player remained on the St. Louis music scene his whole life. He first gained notoriety performing and recording on tuba with cornetist and singer Oliver Cobb beginning in the late '20s, including four sides that were cut for Paramount and Brunswick featuring the leader's attempts at sounding like Louis Armstrong. Palmer played bass with pianist Eddie Johnson for a three-year stretch beginning in 1931. Following this he had a longstanding gig with trumpeter Dewey Jackson through 1941. He then hooked up with another Midwest trumpeter, George Hudson, an early member of Sun Ra bands as well as a regular sideman of singer Dinah Washington. Palmer performed with Hudson off and on through 1948. During the late '40s, Palmer began picking up gigs with jazz names on more of a national level.
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