Sil Austin

Sylvester Austin (September 17, 1929 – September 1, 2001) 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.

Austin played with Roy Eldridge briefly in 1949, and with Cootie Williams in 1951–52

After leaving Mercury in the 1960s, he recorded with a few other labels, including SSS, owned by Shelby Singleton. He was survived by his wife of 52 years, the Rev. Vernice Austin, two daughters, nine grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

Discography Slow Walk Rock (1957) – Mercury Everything's Shakin (1957) – Mercury Battle Royal''' (1959) – Mercury (with saxophonist Red Prysock) Sil Austin, Red Prysock (tenor sax), Dave Martin (piano), Everett Barksdale, Kenny Burrell (guitar), Milt Hinton (bass), David "Panama" Francis (drums) Soft Plaintive and Moody – MercuryPlays Pretty for the People (1961) – MercuryPlays Pretties Melodies of the World (1964) – MercuryHoney Sax (1969) – SSSSil & The Silver Screen – SSSSax Moods Best of Sil Austin Best Selection'' (includes "Harlem Nocturne")