Texas Musicians: King Curtis
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (65390)
United States
July 5, 2024 11:00am CST
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”:
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9 people like this
7 responses
@LindaOHio (170715)
• United States
6 Jul
I remember Yakety Yak....don't talk back. Such a crime that the perp only got 5 years.
2 people like this
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@BarBaraPrz (46490)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
6 Jul
@FourWalls I also know that Boots Randolph did a takeoff called Yakety Sax, which was used as the closing theme on the Benny Hill show.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (65390)
• United States
6 Jul
He had a few recordings on his own. Great sax player. Glad you know him.
1 person likes this
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@FourWalls (65390)
• United States
6 Jul
I know, nobody cares what they’re doing to another human. ![](/Content/images/emotes/sad.gif)
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1 person likes this
@FourWalls (65390)
• United States
6 Jul
Yes, he pleaded guilty to second degree manslaughter and got out in 1977 for good behavior.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (65390)
• United States
6 Jul
I’ve had that happen…can only remember one line out of a song and it drives me crazy until I can think of what it is.
@FourWalls (65390)
• United States
6 Jul
Don’t you have a cat on top of your furniture?? ![](/Content/images/emotes/rofl.gif)
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1 person likes this
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