R.I.P.: Lee Young

Lee Young
(born: March 07, 1914, New Orleans, Louisina, USA)
died: July 31, 2008, Los Angeles, Calif., USA)

Lee Young, drummer and the younger brother of tenor saxophonist Lester Young, died July 31st in his home in Los Angeles at the age of 94. Young started out in his father's carnival band in which he first played trombone, then changed to drums. At 23 he made his first recordings with Fats Waller. In the early 1940s he played with Lionel Hampton's band and for a long time was the only black staff musician at a major film studio in Hollywood. In 1953 he became Nat King Cole's drummer and conductor; later he also produced records for labels such as Vee-Jay, Motown and ABC/Dunhill Records. Obituary: New York Times.