Radio de Hank Crawford

Hank Crawford (born Bennie Ross Crawford, Jr., December 21, 1934 in Memphis, Tennessee) is an American R&B, hard bop, jazz-funk, soul jazz alto saxophonist, arranger and songwriter. Hank Crawford began formal piano studies at age nine and was soon playing for his church choir. His father had brought an alto saxophone home from the service and when Hank entered high school, he took it up in order to join the band. He credits Charlie Parker, Louis Jordan, Earl Bostic and Johnny Hodges as early influences. In 1958 Crawford went to college at Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee. While at TSU, he majored in music studying theory and composition, as well as playing alto and baritone saxophone in the Tennessee State Jazz Collegians. He also led his own rock 'n' roll quartet, "Little Hank and the Rhythm Kings". This is when Crawford met Ray Charles. They all thought he looked and sounded just like Hank O'Day, a legendary local saxophonist, and that's when they nicknamed him Hank. Charles hired Crawford originally as a baritone saxophonist. Crawford switched to alto in 1959 and remained with Charles' band--becoming its musical director until 1963.[1] When Crawford left Ray Charles in 1963 to form his own septet, he had already established himself with several albums for Atlantic. From 1960 until 1970, he recorded twelve LPs for the label, many while balancing his earlier duties as Ray?s director. He released such pre-crossover hits as ?Misty?, ?The Pepper?, ?Skunky Green?, and ?Whispering Grass?.