After starting out on the violin, Slam Stewart chose the double bass to perform with local bands and enter the conservatory. He began by making a name for himself in the trio of poly-instrumentalist Slim Gaillard, and in the early '40s, he played with pianist Art Tatum, an association that lasted nearly ten years, but not on a regular basis. When Art Tatum left the trio, Erroll Garner took his place. In between, Slam Stewart was hired by Benny Goodman, and his versatility enabled him to work with a wide range of formations, from double bass duos to full orchestras, as well as accompanying female singers. After numerous contracts in the 40s and 50s, health problems forced him into temporary retirement in the 60s. He returned in force with his trio in 1968, accumulated television contracts where he conducted a studio orchestra, and appeared as soloist with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in the early 70s. His double bass playing displays a number of distinctive characteristics, including the use of the bow and the vocal accompaniment of his melodic lines in the upper octave. His activities did not stop there, however, as he continued to perform on international stages and write pedagogical works, in addition to teaching at the American universities of Yale and New York. The list of names with whom he has recorded would be long, but includes Coleman Hawkins, Dizzy Gillespie, Don Byas, Buck Clayton, Fats Waller, Lionel Hampton and Roy Eldridge.
