Curtis Ousley (February 7, 1934 – August 13, 1971), who performed under the… Read Full Bio ↴Curtis Ousley (February 7, 1934 – August 13, 1971), who performed under the stage name King Curtis, was an American saxophone virtuoso known for rhythm and blues, rock and roll, soul, blues, funk and soul jazz. Variously a bandleader, band member, and session musician, he was also a musical director and record producer. Adept at tenor, alto, and soprano saxophone, he was best known for his distinctive riffs and solos such as on The Coasters - Yakety Yak, which later became the inspiration for Boots Randolph's "Yakety Sax" and his own "Memphis Soul Stew".
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.
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.
Ridin' Thumb
King Curtis Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Ridin' Thumb' by these artists:
Seals & Crofts See the man on the black top highway movin' past…
Three Dog Night See the man on the black top highway Moving to no…
We have lyrics for these tracks by King Curtis:
All the Way When somebody loves you It's no good unless he loves you,…
Always Always Sammy Turner (Irving Berlin) I''ll be loving you alw…
And I Love Her I give her all my love That's all I do And if…
Azure Driftin' Dreamin' In an Azure mood, Stardust gleamin' Thru …
Basin Street Blues Won't you come along with me To the Mississippi We'll take…
Bridge Over Troubled Water When you're weary feeling small When tears are in Your eyes …
Charlie Brown Fe-fe, fi-fi, fo-fo, fum I smell smoke in the auditorium Ch…
Cupid My Fine feathered friend with your cute little pranks, I wou…
Do The Monkey Monkey, do the monkey Do the monkey, do Monkey, do the monke…
Fine Little Girl I WROTE MY MOM A LETTER AND THIS IS WHAT…
Get Ready I never met a girl who makes me feel the…
Girl From Ipanema Tall and tan and young and lovely The girl from Ipanema…
Good To Me I don't know what you got baby But you're so good…
Hey Joe Hey Joe, where you goin' with that gun of your…
Hey Jude Hey Jude, don't make it bad Take a sad song and…
High Noon Do not forsake me, oh my darlin' On this, our weddin'…
I Ain't Sharin' Sharon I ain't sharin' Sharon with nobody else I'm gonna keep her…
I Heard It Through The Grapevine I bet you're wonderin' how I knew 'Bout your plans to…
I Left My Heart In San Francisco I left my heart in San Francisco. High on a hill…
I Stand Accused I stand accused of loving you too much I hope, I…
I Was Made To Love Her I was born in Lil' Rock Had a childhood sweetheart We were…
I've Been Loving You Too Long I've been loving you a little too long To stop right…
In the Midnight Hour I'm gonna wait til the midnight hour That's when my love…
It Ain't Necessarily So Say it isn't so Say it isn't so, Everyone is saying You…
Jole Blon Woman, let me sing you a song Woman, let me sing…
Knock On Wood I don't want to lose the good thing that I've…
Let It Be When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary…
Let's Twist Again Come on let's twist again Like you did last summer…
Little Green Apples And I wake up in the mornin' With my hair…
Melancholy Serenade Melancholy serenade every time I hear it played Right out of…
Memphis Today's special is Memphis Soul Stew We sell so much of…
Misty Look at me I'm as helpless as a kitten up…
Moonglow It must have been moonglow, way up in the blue It…
Mr Bojangles I knew a man Bojangles And he danced for you In worn…
My Sweet Lord My sweet Lord Hm, my Lord Hm, my Lord I really want to…
Nearness of You Its not the pale moon that excites me That thrills and…
Ode To Billie Joe It was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta…
On Broadway They say the neon lights are bright On Broadway They say…
Our Love Is Here to Stay It's very clear, our love is here to stay Not for…
Peter Gunn Every night your line is busy All that buzzin' makes me…
Shoppin' for Clothes I was shopping for a suit the other day And walked…
Signed Sealed Delivered Like a fool I went and stayed too long Now I'm…
Signed Sealed Delivered I'm Yours Like a fool I went and stayed too long Now I'm…
Spanish Harlem There is a rose in Spanish Harlem A red rose up…
St James Infirmary It was down by old Joe's barroom, on the corner…
St Louis Blues I hate to see that evening sun go down I hate…
St. James Infirmary It was down by old Joe's barroom, on the corner…
St. Louis Blues I hate to see that evening sun go down I hate…
Stupid Cupid My Fine feathered friend with your cute little pranks, I wou…
Sweet and Lovely Sweet and lovely Sweeter than the roses in May Sweet and lov…
Tequila I was at the bar with my drinkin team, It was…
That Is Rock & Roll In the beginning, there weren't nothin' but rocks Then someb…
The Birth of the Blues Oh! they say some people long ago Were searching for a…
The Christmas Song Chestnuts roasting on an open fire Jack Frost nipping at you…
The Dog Baby's back, dressed in black, Silver buttons all down her …
The Girl From Ipanema Tall and tan and young and lovely The girl from Ipanema…
The Look Of Love The look of love Is in your eyes A look your smile…
The Nearness of You Its not the pale moon that excites me That thrills and…
The Shadow Knows You can hide down in the alley With your hat pulled…
The Shadow Of Your Smile The shadow of your smile When you have gone Will color all…
The Stroll Come, let's stroll Stroll across the floor Come, let's stro-…
This Little Girl's Gone Rockin' I WROTE MY MOM A LETTER AND THIS IS WHAT…
Tossin' and Turnin' Baby, baby, can't you see what you're doing to me? I…
Watermelon Man On her way to work one morning Down the path along…
What Is This Thing Called Love? I was a hum-drum person Leading a life apart When love fle…
When a Man Loves a Woman Everybody loves somebody sometime Everybody falls in love so…
When Something Is Wrong With My Baby When something is wrong with my baby Something is wrong wit…
Woman Woman Woman Everybody loves somebody sometime Everybody falls in love so…
Yakety Yak Take out the papers and the trash Or you don't get…
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