Early Years
Born April 20, 1908 in Louisville Kentucky. Hamptons father, Charles Hampton, who was said to be a promising musician and singer reportedly went MIA after fighting in World War 1 to be later discovered dead. Lionel was raised by his mother Gertrude moving to Montgomery, Alabama to then moving once more to Chicago, IL where his mother's parents stayed. There, he would spend the remainder of his young childhood.Hampton would attend church where he become musically inspired by the churches choir where Lionel later stated this is where he found "the beat in me." Lionel first learned how to play the drums from his sister when he attended Holy Rosary Academy near Wisconsin. Hampton later would attended St. Monica's school in Chicago where his determination for music would become even more of a passion as he got a job as a newspaper boy in order to save enough money to join Chicago Defender's Newsboys Band. Hampton eventually saved enough to gain initiation but started out only as an assistant to help carry equipment to eventually being aloud to give a try at the snare drum.
Young Teen
Lionel, now in high school, was given a job by Les Hite to be in a band geared for young talent. At age 15 Hampton would graduate high school where he decided to move to LA to join Reb Spikes's Sharps and Flats where the band would later lead to Hampton and Armstrong to meet and the start of their collaboration.