Joe Houston facts for kids

Photo by Tom Beetz

Joseph Abraham Houston (born in 1926, died in 2015) was an American musician. He was a talented tenor saxophone player. Joe Houston played both jazz and rhythm and blues music.

Joe Houston: A Music Legend

Early Life and Musical Start

Joe Houston was born in Bastrop, Texas. This town is near Austin, Texas. In school, he first learned to play the trumpet. Later, he switched to the saxophone.

When he was a teenager, Joe wanted to be like the touring bands he saw. He even bought a special red suit with white pants. In 1941, a saxophone player didn't show up for a concert. Joe Houston stepped in and played instead! From 1943 to 1946, Joe toured with King Kolax's band. They traveled through places like Kansas City, Missouri and Chicago.

Becoming a Star

After World War II, Joe Houston went back to Texas. He recorded music with pianist Amos Milburn and singer Big Joe Turner. At first, Joe played the alto saxophone. But he soon switched to the tenor saxophone. He was inspired by other "honking" sax players like Big Jay McNeely.

In 1949, Big Joe Turner helped Houston get his first recording contract. This was with Freedom Records. Joe then moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. There, he played with musicians like Betty Roche and Wynonie Harris.

The Rockets and Hit Songs

Eventually, Joe Houston started his own band called The Rockets. In 1952, he moved to Los Angeles. That same year, he had his only two big hit songs. These were "Worry, Worry, Worry" and "Hard Time Baby." Both songs reached number 10 on Billboard's R&B singles chart.

Joe recorded for many different record labels. These included Modern and Crown. Sometimes, he even sang on his records, not just played the saxophone.

Later Career and Legacy

Joe Houston lived in Los Angeles for most of his music career. In the 1990s and 2000s, he toured and recorded with his band, The Defrosterz. This band was started by bassist Mark St. John. Mark was also Joe's manager for almost 20 years. The band also included keyboard player Mike Malone. They traveled all over North America.

Joe Houston's music career slowed down after he became unwell in 2006. However, he returned to the stage in July 2008. He performed at The Long Beach Lobster Festival. Joe continued to entertain fans until 2012. He passed away on December 28, 2015, in Long Beach, California, after some health issues.

His Hit Songs

Here are Joe Houston's songs that made it onto the music charts:

See also

In Spanish: Joe Houston para niños