Joe Houston

Joseph Abraham Houston (July 12, 1926 – December 28, 2015) was an American tenor saxophonist who played jazz and rhythm and blues.

Biography He was born in Bastrop, a suburb of Austin, Texas, and studied trumpet in school, changing to saxophone later. As a teen he began emulating a touring band by buying a red suit with white pants. One night in 1941 a saxophone player did not show for a gig with the band and Houston took his place. Between 1943 and 1946, Houston toured with King Kolax's band through Kansas City and Chicago and throughout the Mid-West.

After World War II, Houston returned to Texas, and recorded with the pianist Amos Milburn and singer Big Joe Turner. Initially playing alto sax, he switched to tenor in the wake of such "honking" saxophonists as Big Jay McNeely, Wild Bill Moore, Paul Williams, Hal Singer and Chuck Higgins.

Singles YearTitleAlbumUS R&B1952"Worry, Worry, Worry"not released on LP 101952"Hard Time Baby"not released on LP 10

Albums Joe Houston (Combo, 1955) Rockin' At The Drive In (Combo, 1956) Blows All Nite Long (Modern, 1956) Rocks and Rolls All Nite Long (Crown, 1957) reissue of Blows All Nite Long Rock and Roll with Joe Houston and His Rockets (Tops, 1957) Wild Man of the Tenor Sax (Crown, 1961) Doin' The Twist (Crown, 1962) Twisting in Orbit (Crown, 1962) Rockin' and Rollin' (Crown, 1962) Surf Rockin' (Crown, 1963) Limbo (Crown, 1963) Kicking Back (Big Town, 1978) The Return of Honk! with Otis Grand (JSP, 1994) The Blues & Nothin' Else (Shattered Music, 1996)