Texas Musicians: King Curtis

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This morning there were more booms going off, but that was thunder and not fireworks. Now that we’ve celebrated America independence with a boatload of Chinese fireworks let’s get back to Texas music. Here’s another person who is well known by sound but not by name. It’s a pleasure to introduce you to the name behind the sax. King Curtis Remember “Yakety Yak” by the Coasters? That rollicking saxophone? That was King Curtis. Born in Fort Worth and adopted early in his life, Curtis Ousley grew up in a musical home. His adoptive father was a church musician. Like any good musician, he turned down offers to go to college in favor of becoming a touring musicians. That was with jazz legend Lionel Hampton, and that stint got his foot in the door. From there, the sky was the limit. In addition to the success of his session work, he did a cover of Joe South’s song “Games People Play” and won a Grammy for it. As for the list of people he performed with as a session man, the list ranges from Aretha Franklin to John Lennon to Andy Williams to Waylon Jennings. He wrote songs as well, including one that fellow Texan Buddy Holly recorded in 1958. King Curtis’ brilliant career came to a bloody end, when a man loitering on the steps of the apartment building Ousley lived in stabbed him to death. The guilty party served a little less than five years in prison. His musicianship earned him induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. It’s a crying shame he’s not still with us. King Curtis Born Curtis Montgomery, later Curtis Ousley (adopted last name) February 7, 1934, Fort Worth Died August 13, 1971, New York City (stabbed to death) (age 37) HALL OF FAME: Rock and Roll Here’s King Curtis playing saxophone on a song that he wrote and Buddy Holly recorded, “Reminiscing”: