Early in his career, Butterfield played in the band of
Austin Wylie. He gained attention working with
Bob Crosby (1937–1940), and later performed with
Artie Shaw,
Les Brown, and
Benny Goodman. (1959) and ''Just Kiddin' Around'' (1962). Both were commercial hits. Later in the 1960s he recorded two albums with his own orchestra for
Columbia Records. The trumpeter was a member of the World's Greatest Jazz Band, led by former Crosby bandmates Yank Lawson and Bob Haggart, from the late 1960s until his death in 1988. He freelanced as a guest star with bands all over the world, and performed at many jazz festivals including the Manassas Jazz Festival and Dick Gibson's Bash in Colorado. ==Film==