Sil Austin (17 September 1929 - 1 September 2001) was an American jazz teno… Read Full Bio ↴Sil Austin (17 September 1929 - 1 September 2001) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. He had his biggest success in an overtly commercial rather than jazz vein, but he regarded jazz saxophonists like Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young and Sonny Stitt as his major influences.
He was a showman on stage, and had a big, ripe blues-inflected tenor sound which was ideally adapted to hard-driving rhythm & blues, but was also highly persuasive on ballads.
He was born Sylvester Austin in Dunnellon, Florida, and taught himself to play as a 12 year old. He won the Ted Mack Amateur Hour in St. Petersburg, Florida in 1945, playing "Danny Boy". His performance brought him a recording contract with Mercury Records, and he moved to New York, where he studied for a time at the Juilliard School of Music.
He played with Roy Eldridge briefly, and with Tiny Bradshaw in 1952-54, before setting up his own successful touring group. He recorded over 30 albums for Mercury, and had a number of Top 40 hits with pop tunes like "Danny Boy" (his signature tune), "Slow Walk" and "My Mother's Eyes". He recorded with a few other labels, including SSS, owned by Shelby Singleton. He made also a few records in Japan in the 1970s.
He died of prostate cancer in 2001, and is survived by his wife of 52 years, the Rev. Vernice Austin, two daughters, nine grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
He was a showman on stage, and had a big, ripe blues-inflected tenor sound which was ideally adapted to hard-driving rhythm & blues, but was also highly persuasive on ballads.
He was born Sylvester Austin in Dunnellon, Florida, and taught himself to play as a 12 year old. He won the Ted Mack Amateur Hour in St. Petersburg, Florida in 1945, playing "Danny Boy". His performance brought him a recording contract with Mercury Records, and he moved to New York, where he studied for a time at the Juilliard School of Music.
He played with Roy Eldridge briefly, and with Tiny Bradshaw in 1952-54, before setting up his own successful touring group. He recorded over 30 albums for Mercury, and had a number of Top 40 hits with pop tunes like "Danny Boy" (his signature tune), "Slow Walk" and "My Mother's Eyes". He recorded with a few other labels, including SSS, owned by Shelby Singleton. He made also a few records in Japan in the 1970s.
He died of prostate cancer in 2001, and is survived by his wife of 52 years, the Rev. Vernice Austin, two daughters, nine grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
Everything's Shakin'
Sil Austin Lyrics
Instrumental
Writer(s): Sil Austin
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Shanna Hudson-Stowe
One of the influential records in my life. In the mix of my mom's records.
Charles Potter
Sil Austin... We used to play his albums constantly in the barracks during my mis-spent youth... Fantastic blues sax.....
John Robertson
Oh wow
JIMOTOOLE1949
Bill Doggett had the second most popular version of Slow Walk, a little further down on the charts.
jean auber
Nice... same style as Bill Doggett Honky Tonk
Ben Alfonso
rock on, COMPTON.................................!!!!
Thoseoldphonos 57
Only in the 50's