A Boy Named Fathead

Lonnie Smith: Boogaloo To Beck: "Loser" [mp3]

I suppose when yr high school music teacher calls you "Fathead" in front of the entire class, well, that's the kind of nickname that'll often stick to a person, and David Newman did the best thing he could when saddled with this burden- he learned to work the saxophone and made a 55 year career as a Jazz musician outta it...

David "Fathead" Newman released 38 albums as a solo artist, but he's mostly known as a sideman and hired gun...He played in Ray Charles' band for the first twelve years of his professional life, then did another ten with Herbie Mann...After that it was another three decades leading his own revolving band of musicians, and guest-blowing on dozens of other artists with famous names. Aretha Franklin. B.B. King. Eric Clapton. Dr. John.

Here he is blowing his tenor sax for Lonnie Smith on this Beck tribute album...Oh my!

RIP, Fathead.

Hotcha! Hank