Lyrics | Artists | Don Byas

Don Byas

Born of musician parents, Don Byas began by learning the violin, clarinet and alto saxophone. At the end of the '20s, he began playing saxophone in small bands, before setting up his own group. When he moved to California in the early '30s, he finally opted for the tenor saxophone. He was initially hired by Lionel Hampton and Buck Clayton. Don Byas then left for New York with the orchestra accompanying singer Ethel Waters. He played with a number of the leading bands of the great swing period, before succeeding Lester Young in Count Basie's orchestra for three years from 1941. In...