Joe Houston

Joe Houston is a Tenor saxophonist who played jazz and R&B. He who was born in Austin, TX on July 11, 1926. He lived with his mother and sister in the suburb of Bastrop. He studied trumpet in school and changed to saxophone later. As a teen he began emulating a touring band by buying a red suit with white pants. One fortunate night in 1941 a sax player didn't show for a gig with the band and Joe took his place. Between 1943 and 1946 Joe toured with that band through Kansas City and Chicago and throughout the Mid-West. After the war Houston returned to Texas and recorded with pianist Amos Milburn and vocal legend Big Joe Turner. Turner got Joe his first recording deal on Freedom Records in 1949. Houston moved to Baton Rouge Louisiana and played with King Kolax, Betty Roche and Wynonie Harris. Big Joe and Little Joe mounted a tour shortly after this. Eventually, Houston formed his own band The Rockets, and moved West to Los Angeles in 1952. He scored his only two chart hits in 1952 with "Worry, Worry, Worry", and "Hard Time Baby" both which peaked at No.10 on Billboard's R&B singles chart, though he has released many other singles before and after, they all failed to chart.

Houston does not remain active musically since suffering a stroke in 2005. His last record was released in the 2000s though his last major chart hit ("Hard Time Baby") was 50 years earlier. His biggest hit ever was All Night Long, realeased in December 1954. All original 45s and LPs are considered collectible.

Singles

External links

* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:me7ibkd96akc~T1 All Music Guide] bio, photos
* [http://www.colorradio.com/Joe_Houston.htm Joe Houston discography] scans of Houston's albums on Vinyl