Bennie Ross (Hank) Crawford

Posted By: Paul E. Meacham on October 07, 2005

Hometown: Memphis, Tennessee
High School: Manassas High School
College: Tennessee State University

Hank Crawford joined the Ray Charles Band out of Tennessee State University and, along with David "Fathead" Newman helped establish Ray Charles as a defining presence in the jazz, blues, gospel, and country and western world.

On Fathead's first record under his own name
(Ray Charles Presents Fathead Newman) Hank Crawford was the arranger for several of the tunes.

Hank eventually left Ray Charles to record under his own name, and in the process developed an unmistakeable signature blues style on the alto saxophone. Hank's style is imitated but never quite duplicated by several leading alto saxophonist today who openly acknowledge his influence on their playing.

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Paul E. Meacham
From Las Vegas, NV
Tennessee State University class of 1957
Member Since December 2003

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