Daily Dose Of Jazz…
David Newman Jr. was born on February 24, 1933 in Corsicana, Texas. He got his nickname in high school when his then music teacher noticed his upside down sheet music tapped him on the head with his conductors baton and called him “Fathead”. Preferring to be called David, the jovial Newman accepted the nickname that stuck with him his whole life.
Moving to Dallas he graduated from Lincoln High School, began playing flute and tenor at local shows, and received a scholarship to Jarvis Christian College where he studied theology and music for two years. This brief stay was followed with him on the road touring with Bester Smith (Charlie Parker’s mentor) and dance hall one-nighters with T-Bone Walker.
Newman’s professional career as a musician began in 1954 as a member of the Ray Charles Band playing baritone sax that was the beginning of a twelve-year relationship followed by ten years with Herbie Mann and playing with Red Garland for a period in the 70’s. By the late 90’s he was recording for HighNote Records and a long and profitable relationship started producing some ten albums.
For over a half century, Newman recorded over thirty-eight albums under his own name beginning in 1958 with Fathead – Ray Charles Presents David Fathead Newman. Although best known for his hard bop style, he’s recorded with James Clay, Cannonball Adderley, Stanley Turrentine, Aretha Franklin, B. B. King, Natalie Cole, Average White Band, Eric Clapton, Jimmy McGriff and many others.
Always a musicians’ musician, Newman has influenced whole generations of saxophone players of different genres including R&B, blues and country, and texmex. On January 20, 2009, saxophonist and flautist David “Fathead” Newman died from complications of pancreatic cancer in Kingston, New York at age 75.
