Grady Gaines

Career Gaines was playing his saxophone at The Whispering Pines.

Gaines worked as a session musician for Peacock Records. He played on Big Walter Price's "Pack Fair and Square" and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown's "Dirty Work at the Crossroads," before joining Little Richard's fledgling backing band, the Upsetters, as its leader in 1955.

In 1985, Gaines re-formed a band, The Texas Upsetters, and played concerts in Houston before recording Full Gain (1988), Horn of Plenty (1992), and Jump Start (2002).

Awards 1993 Blues Artist of the Year. Houston Juneteenth Festival.

Gaines' brother Roy went on to play guitar on Bobby Bland's 1955 hit single "It's My Life Baby".