Horace Alexander Young facts for kids

Horace Alexander Young (born November 4, 1954) is an American musician. He plays the saxophone and flute. He is also a composer, songwriter, and arranger. Besides performing, he is a music teacher and author.

Young has played with many famous musicians. These include B.B. King, Bill Withers, Nancy Wilson, and Regina Belle. He has also taught music at several universities. He was a professor at Washington State University and Texas Southern University.

About Horace Alexander Young

Early Life and Learning

Horace Alexander Young was born in Houston, Texas. He started learning music when he was eight years old. First, he played the piano. Later, he learned the flute, clarinet, and saxophone. His early teachers included Hal Tennyson and Edmund Broussard.

Even though he loved music, Young first wanted to be a journalist. Music was a "serious hobby" for him. He started playing paid music jobs, called "gigs," when he was 13. He also played in several bands with his friends during high school.

Young studied music at Texas Southern University. He earned his music degree there in 1978. Later, he got his master's degree in music from Washington State University in 1983.

Teaching Music

After many years of touring and recording, Young became a college music professor. He taught music courses at different schools. These included Washington State University (from 1998-2008 and 2015-2022) and Texas Southern University (from 2008-2014). He also taught at Sonoma State University and Rutgers University.

From 2014 to 2017, he led the music program at Santa Fe University of Art and Design. There, he started a student record label called ARROYO RECORDS. This label helped students release their own music. Today, Young is a Professor Emeritus of Music at Washington State University. This means he is a retired professor who is still honored by the university. He focused on teaching jazz and music business.

Performances and Tours

Horace Alexander Young has performed with many different artists. He has played jazz, R&B, Christian music, and other styles. Some of the artists he has performed with include The Temptations, Anita Baker, B.B. King, Betty Carter, Roberta Flack, and Joe Sample.

In 1993, Young led South Africa's National Symphony. This concert honored the South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim. Young was the first Black American to conduct this orchestra. He also appeared in a 2005 movie about Abdullah Ibrahim, called Abdullah Ibrahim: A Struggle for Love.

Music Recordings

Young has played on many recordings for other musicians. These include B.B. King, Abdullah Ibrahim, and Regina Belle.

Solo Albums

Young released his first solo album in May 2008. It was called Acoustic Contemporary Jazz. The album received good reviews. It has 12 songs, including a new version of "Dance With My Father" by Luther Vandross. Other musicians like Andre Hayward and Johnny Kemp played on the album.

The songs on Acoustic Contemporary Jazz are:

• "Dance With My Father"
• "Heart's Desire (In a Very Special Way)"
• "Chicken n' Waffles"
• "Joan-Cape Town Flower"
• "Find Your Love"
• "Let's Lounge"
• "Glory To His Name"
• "That Kind of Girl"
• "So Special"
• "One of a Kind"
• "Danny Boy"
• "So Special (Radio Edit Instrumental)"

As of 2024, Horace Alexander Young has played on over 237 recordings. He plays woodwind instruments, arranges music, and helps produce songs. His most recent work was on an album called The Voice of Brubeck, Vol.1 - Song of Hope and Peace. He wrote music for two songs and played flute and saxophone on ten songs. This album won a Silver Medal in the 2024 Global Music Awards.

Personal Life

Horace Alexander Young was married to Phyllis Karon Gooden from 1994 to 2009. They have two children, Victoria-Pearl Young and Alexander Charles Young.

From 1985 to 1990, Young was married to singer Regina Belle. They adopted a daughter named Tiy.