Curtis Ousley was adopted, with his sister, Josephine Ousley Allen. They were raised together in Fort Worth, Texas. Ousley attended I.M. Terrell High School, and studied and performed music with schoolmate Ornette Coleman.
Ousley started playing saxophone at the age of twelve in the Fort Worth area. He took interest in many musical genres including jazz, rhythm and blues, and popular music. As a student pursuing music, he turned down college scholarships in order to join the Lionel Hampton Band. During his time with Hampton, he was able to write and arrange music and learn guitar. In 1952 Curtis decided to move to New York and became a session musician, recording for such labels as Prestige, Enjoy, Capitol, and Atco. He recorded with Nat Adderley, Wynton Kelly, Buddy Holly, Waylon Jennings and Andy Williams.
Stylistically, Curtis took inspiration from saxophonists Lester Young, Louis Jordan, Illinois Jacquet, Earl Bostic, and Gene Ammons. Known for his syncopated and percussive style, he was both versatile and powerful as a musician. He put together a group during his time as a session musician that included Richard Tee, Cornell Dupree, Jerry Jemmott, and Bernard Purdie.
King Curtis enjoyed playing jazz and rhythm & blues but decided he would make more money as a rhythm & blues musician, stating in a 1971 interview with Charlie Gillet that "I love the authentic rhythm & blues more than anything, and I also like to live well." From the 1950s until the mid-1960s, he worked as a session player, recording under his own name and with others such as The Coasters, with whom he recorded "Yakety Yak". Buddy Holly hired him for session work, during which they recorded "Reminiscing". Holly wrote this song, but gave Curtis the songwriting credit for flying down to the session. His best-known singles from this period are "Soul Twist" and "Soul Serenade". He provided backing on a number of songs for LaVern Baker, including her 1958 hit single "I Cried a Tear", where his saxophone became "a second voice".
In 1965, he moved to Atlantic Records and recorded his most successful singles, "Memphis Soul Stew" and "Ode to Billie Joe" (1967). He worked with The Coasters, led Aretha Franklin's backing band The Kingpins. The Kingpins opened for The Beatles during their 1965 performance at Shea Stadium. Curtis produced records, often working with Jerry Wexler and recorded for Groove Records during this period, including the Joe South song "Games People Play" with guitarist Duane Allman.
In March 1971 he appeared with Aretha Franklin and The Kingpins at the Fillmore West, which resulted in two live albums: "Aretha Live at Fillmore West", and Curtis' own "Live at Fillmore West". In July 1971, Curtis recorded saxophone solos on "It's So Hard" and "I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier" from John Lennon's Imagine. Along with The Rimshots, he recorded the original theme song for the 1971 hit television show, Soul Train, titled "Hot Potatoes".
Curtis was killed on August 13, 1971 when he was stabbed during an argument with a pair of drug dealers he discovered on the steps outside his Manhattan apartment. Curtis was attempting to carry an air conditioner into his apartment when Juan Montanez refused to move from the entrance. A fight ensued and Montanez stabbed Curtis. Curtis later died at Roosevelt Hospital. In March 1972, Montanez was sentenced to seven years for second-degree manslaughter, but was released in late 1977 for good behavior.
On the day of Curtis' funeral Atlantic Records closed their offices. Jesse Jackson administered the service and as the mourners filed in, Curtis' band 'The Kingpins' played "Soul Serenade". Among those attending were Ousley's immediate family, including sister Josephine Ousley Allen, other family members, Aretha Franklin, Cissy Houston, Brook Benton and Duane Allman. Franklin sang the closing spiritual "Never Grow Old" and Stevie Wonder performed "Abraham, Martin and John and now King Curtis".
Curtis was subsequently buried in a red granite-fronted wall crypt in the 'West Gallery of Forsythia Court' mausoleum at Pinelawn Memorial Park in Farmingdale, New York, the same cemetery that holds jazz greats Count Basie and John Coltrane.
In 1970, a year before his death, Curtis won the Best R&B Instrumental Performance Grammy for "Games People Play".
Curtis was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 6, 2000.
All the Way
King Curtis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's no good unless he loves you, all the way
Happy to be near you
When you need someone to cheer you, all the way
Taller than the tallest tree is
That's how it's got to feel
Deeper than the deep blue see is
When somebody needs you
It's no good unless he needs you, all the way
Through the good or lean years
And for all the in between years, come what may
Who know where the road will lead us
Only a fool would say
But if you'll let me love you
It's for sure I'm gonna love you, all the way
All the way
The song "All the Way" by King Curtis speaks about a love that is deep, genuine and all-encompassing. The lyrics suggest that when someone loves, it must be "all the way," meaning that it should be complete and unconditional love. The opening lines state that it's not enough for someone to simply love you; it must be "all the way," indicating that one should be there for the other person always, through thick and thin. The lyrics also mention that being near someone is only meaningful if the person is there to cheer you up when you're down.
The depth of the love is then described in the second verse, where it is compared to the height of the tallest tree and the depth of the ocean. The song goes on to explain that when someone needs you, it's not enough that they just require you. It must be an all-encompassing need that is present throughout all the good and bad times.
Finally, the last lines of the song suggest that while the future may be uncertain, the person singing the song will love the other person "all the way." He is committed to complete, unwavering love, without any hesitation or reservations.
Overall, "All the Way" is a powerful love song that speaks about a love that is complete and unwavering. It illustrates the importance of being there for each other, through thick and thin, and committing to love each other unconditionally.
Line by Line Meaning
When somebody loves you
If somebody loves you
It's no good unless he loves you, all the way
it's not enough if they don't love you completely
Happy to be near you
I'm happy being close to you
When you need someone to cheer you, all the way
I'll cheer you up completely when you need me to
Taller than the tallest tree is
My love is bigger than anything
That's how it's got to feel
It's important to feel that way
Deeper than the deep blue see is
My love is very deep
That's how deep it goes, if its real
True love is really deep
When somebody needs you
If somebody needs you
It's no good unless he needs you, all the way
It's not worth it unless they need you completely
Through the good or lean years
During both the prosperous and difficult times
And for all the in between years, come what may
Even during the times in between, no matter what happens
Who know where the road will lead us
It's hard to say where life will take us
Only a fool would say
It would be foolish to try to predict
But if you'll let me love you
If you allow me to love you
It's for sure I'm gonna love you, all the way
I'll love you completely and thoroughly
All the way
Completely, with all my heart
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PETER HOOK, GILLIAN LESLEY GILBERT, STEPHEN PAUL DAVID MORRIS, BERNARD (GB 2) SUMNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lívia Batista
Perfeito! Vinho, velas, essa música,alguém especial,dançar de rosto colado,fazer amor com paixão...Acredito que não tem preço...Deve ser maravilhoso!
cintia willmann
Com certeza posso dizer que isso sim é musica!!
SAXY RIC
Jeffrey in a whole other light. He is a very versatile vocalist, people just have not realized that he can do it all!!
Moacir Lemos
Descobri essa canção maravilhosa através do filme tudo por amor 1991 com Júlia roberts
yamatowarp
I find this song very romantic but it also brought me to tears cause it was my song and the one that I loved once since we're not together anymore I'll always cherish this song in my heart.
Yasna Toledo
💖 💖 hermosa
ブルーザー
サムクックのLIVE盤での演奏が最高です。🎉
Madamnesia
perfect
Cetty Frisa
😘😘😘😘😘😘😍😍😍❤
rachel olynuk
Still❤️