Loading AI tools
American rhythm and blues saxophonist From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wilburt "Red" Prysock (February 2, 1926 – July 19, 1993)[1] was an American R&B tenor saxophonist,[2] one of the early Coleman Hawkins-influenced saxophonists to move in the direction of rhythm and blues, rather than bebop.[3]
Red Prysock | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Wilburt Prysock |
Born | Greensboro, North Carolina | February 2, 1926
Died | July 19, 1993 67) Chicago, Illinois | (aged
Genres | R&B |
Occupation | Musician |
Instrument | Saxophone |
Years active | 1950s–1960s |
Labels | Mercury |
With Tiny Grimes and his Rocking Highlanders, Prysock staged a saxophone battle with Benny Golson on "Battle of the Mass".[4] He first gained attention as a member of Tiny Bradshaw's band, playing the lead saxophone solo on his own "Soft", which was a hit for the Bradshaw band in 1952.[2] Prysock also played with Roy Milton and Cootie Williams.[2]
In 1954, he signed with Mercury Records as a bandleader and had his biggest hit, the instrumental "Hand Clappin'" in 1955.[2] During the same year, he joined the band that played at Alan Freed's stage shows.[2] He also played on several hit records by his brother, singer Arthur Prysock, in the 1960s.[5]
Prysock was born in 1926 in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States,[2] and died of a heart attack in 1993 in Chicago, at the age of 67.[1][6] He served in the United States Army during World War II, which was when he learned to play saxophone.[3][5] He was buried at the Salisbury National Cemetery in Salisbury, North Carolina.[7]
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.