Biography
Born on 17 November 1933 in Crowley, Louisiana, the pianist passed away in Houston, Texas, during June 1975. Although biographical details remain scarce, his keyboard work surfaces across far more sessions than those issued under his own name. After his family relocated to Houston in 1939, he stayed there for the rest of his life. Church training, presumed to have supplied his initial keyboard instruction, occupied part of his youth. By his early teens he was already accompanying Peppermint Harris on the singer’s first Gold Star date. Membership in alto saxophonist Henry Hayes’ Four Kings soon followed, placing him behind numerous Texas artists such as Carl Campbell, Milton Willis, L.C. Williams, Hubert Robinson, Ivory Lee and Hop Wilson. In 1949 he cut his own debut, “Foolish Love,” issued on Sittin In With with the Hayes band. His playing echoed the prevailing jump style and showed clear parallels to Little Willie Littlefield. Additional dates appeared on Peacock, Mercury Records, Savoy Records and Imperial Records, the last of these occurring in 1955. Mid-decade work with Clifton Chenier yielded recordings for Arhoolie Records, while further collaborations paired him with Lightnin’ Hopkins on Jewel. He also fronted his own groups throughout Texas and Louisiana. Serious surgery in 1970 curtailed his activity, and he remained largely out of music until his death.